Kalaburagi's internationally acclaimed artist and photographer Mohammed Ayazuddin Patel is Venice-bound. He has been invited to the 'International Collaborative Art Performance & Sculpture Workshop' in the Italian city, a three-day creative gathering from September 17 to 20 that aims to turn art into a conversation between nations.

Key facts

  • Event: 'International Collaborative Art Performance & Sculpture Workshop', Venice, Italy
  • Dates: September 17 to 20
  • Theme: 'Art Beyond Borders: A Creative Dialogue Between India and Italy'
  • Organisers: S.M.D. Foundation and H.U. Venezia
  • Participants: 11 Indian artists alongside leading European artists

Art as a bridge between cultures

The Venice exchange will bring together 11 distinguished Indian artists representing Karnataka, Assam, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Baroda, alongside leading European artists. Through collaborative performances, sculpture, dialogue and creative exchange, the workshop seeks to transform art into a bridge between cultures — fostering friendship and deeper connections between Indian and European artistic communities.

A 15-day journey through Europe's masterpieces

The Venice programme forms part of a 15-day European study tour running from September 9 to 23, covering France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy, as well as Florence, Rome and Vatican City. Along the way, the artists will visit celebrated museums, galleries and monuments, encountering masterpieces associated with Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Picasso.

For Mr. Patel, the itinerary reads like an art lover's dream: the Louvre Museum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the Accademia Gallery and the Colosseum — an inspiring encounter with the artistic heritage of Europe.

DatesProgramme
September 9–2315-day European study tour across six countries
September 17–20'Art Beyond Borders' workshop in Venice

A decorated chronicler of the Deccan

Back home, Mr. Patel is a noted resource person on the art, architecture and history of the Deccan dynasties. His honours include the National Lalit Kala Award (2014), the CCRT National Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture (2016-17) and the Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy Senior Fellowship (2018), among several others. He has also established his own art gallery, museum and research centre.

Travel is hardly new to him. His artistic journey has already carried him across the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Turkey, China, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and several other countries.

This time, the road from the Deccan leads to Venice — and what travels with him is more than an artist. It is a dialogue between cultures and histories.