Celebrating the Mud Palace Art Gallery | Sikkim, India
In September, we published an interview with Deo Prasad Rai, who was awarded a small project grant from EAS in support of his ambitious project to build an art gallery, literally, from the ground up in Sikkim, India, where he lives and works. In that piece, Deo shared his ideas for the gallery, its design, and photos of the building project in progress. The Mud Palace Art Gallery is now complete! Big congratulations to Deo on realizing his vision and persisting through a devastating flood in the region this past season. We are pleased to share an update with you in the form of a letter from Deo along with photos of the gallery's opening day in December.
Images courtesy of Deo and Mud Palace Art Gallery
Letter from Deo Prasad Rai
The Mud Palace Art Gallery had a spectacular and awe-inspiring inauguration on December 14, 2023. The event was graced by prominent figures such as Mr. YT Lepcha, the Honorable MLA cum Advisor of the Tourism Department of the Government of Sikkim; Dr. Mangaljit Rai, Chairman of NCDFI under the Government of India; Mr. Sudip Pradhan, Director of NRL, Ministry of Petroleum and Gas, Government of India, eminent artists, and numerous other esteemed dignitaries. The reception program was an extravagant affair, where guests passionately spoke about the mesmerizing world of art and literature.
The gallery stands proud as Sikkim's first tourism-centric gallery, showcasing breathtaking local village landscapes with captivating depictions of lifestyle and heritage paintings. We wholeheartedly support and promote the "Vocal for Local" concept initiated by the Government of India. Our gallery is registered with prestigious entities such as the portal for the National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI), the Tourism Department for the Government of India, and the Ministry of Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME) of the Government of India.
In order to sustain and nurture the thriving artistic talents within our community, the gallery kindly requests a
minimum revenue contribution from each visitor. We are dedicated to continuously enhancing our gallery and providing a platform for aspiring artists to exhibit their exceptional works.
On this momentous day of our gallery's inauguration, we would like to express our utmost gratitude to Emergent
Art Space (USA) for their remarkable support during the construction phase. Their invaluable contribution has
truly made a difference.
Opening Day
Click any image to begin the sliding gallery
About the Artist
Deo Prasad Rai is an artist from Sikkim, India, and the founder of the Mud Palace Art Gallery. With a love for realistic fine art, Deo draws inspiration from his rural upbringing in Geyzing district, Sikkim. His paintings capture the essence of its nature, landscapes and people. Deo aims to explore and honor the techniques and traditions of past artists and has already achieved recognition, including being the first Sikkimese artist to win the prestigious COPD Art Contest by the European Lung Foundation in 2020. Join Deo on his artistic journey as he continues to create mesmerizing paintings and make his mark in the art world.