Swiss art to be on display

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 26. Switzerland's new experiment in art has found its way into the city of minarets. Soon, the benchART, as it is called, will be on display.

"Lothar", one of the most ravaging storms of the 20th century, lashed parts of Europe on December 26, 1999, including Switzerland, accompanied by winds of 200 kmph, flattening forests. From this green devastation cropped up art at the city of Zurich.

People collected the waste timber and produced benches out of it, with landscapes etc painted on them. The next few days saw Zurich awash with colours.

A total of 26 such benches made of the Lothar-timber, representing all the Cantons (provinces) in Switzerland have been flown to Hyderabad. As part of the "Great Mall of Hyderabad", students will paint them in the next few days. The benchART then will be put to public display at Ravindra Bharati in the first week of November.

According to Mr Josef Renggli, Consul-General of Switzerland, Mumbai, Hyderabad is only city in the world outside his country to witness this unique art. BenchART has been offered to Hyderabad as a "fitting culture exchange" gift in response to a request made to certain countries by the Andhra Pradesh Government to participate in the Great Mall of Hyderabad.

Accompanied by the Tourism Minister, Mr E. Peddi Reddy, the Secretary and the Director for Tourism, Mrs Chandana Khan and Mr G. Kishen Rao, respectively, Mr Renggli said here this evening that the 10 best pieces out of the 26 would be auctioned on November 12 and the proceeds so realised would be used for donating computers to schools which produced them, and for assisting weavers' families.

The jury which will select the best 10 pieces will consist of Mr Vaikuntam, artist, Prof Pramod Talgeri, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad, Air Vice-Marshal, Cecil Parker (retired), Mrs Penny D " Souza-Badve, a local personality, besides Mrs Chandana Khan herself.

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Section  : Southern States
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