Exhibition Highlighting Indian and Nepali Artists Opens at Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

New Exhibition Kicks Off During the Gallery Crawl

January 24, 2018….Artist Francis Cleetus and the artist who identifies himself as A.A. will open Karmalogue, an exhibition of paintings and sculptures, at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council during the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Gallery Crawl this coming Friday, January 26, 2018. The opening reception from 5:30 – 8pm is free and open to all, featuring live North Indian Classical music by multi-instrumentalist Michael Griska. Refreshments will be served. Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is located at 810 Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Cultural Distrct, and Karmalogue will be on the 7th floor. The exhibition will be open during all GPAC programming in the Big Room and for the April 27, 2018 Gallery Crawl. The exhibition closes on June 30, 2018.

Francis Cleetus interprets glimpses of life through his contemporary paintings, drawings and sculptures, speaking to his multi-national experiences. He shares: “I’ve tried to interpret some deeply personal experiences that shaped or scared me in India, Hong Kong and the United States through my art. I often add 3D elements to my canvas, perhaps to remind myself how those moments stood out in my otherwise mundane existence.” A.A comments on his portraits, influenced by German Abstract Expressionism: "Layers of paint are spread over the surface to represent imprints people have left on my mind, ranging from a homeless man in Pakistan, a family of strangers, close family members. The work aims to highlight and provide much needed support to children of rural Nepal by sharing my experiences of the people.”Sales of A.A’s work will benefit the Rukmini Foundation. The Rukmini Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of underprivileged girls by empowering them through a holistic program of quality education, supportive mentoring services and a physical well-being program.

Art on the Walls, the visual arts exhibition program of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, displays quality art by local artists in office spaces, encouraging new audiences and patrons to support the artists of our region. To date, close to $50,000 of art work has been sold through the program, which showcases or has showcased two dimensional work as well as fiber and sculpture in the offices of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, The City of Pittsburgh Mayor’s Office, Accenture, and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

###

About the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council champions the arts in Southwestern Pennsylvania, providing financial, professional, and political support for the arts and culture sector. Comprised of more than 600 diverse artists and nonprofit organizations, the Arts Council offers valuable research, legal and business consulting, networking and professional development opportunities so that artists, as well as arts leaders and organizations, can grow their skills and advance their practice. The Arts Council provides grants for artists and arts organizations, leads the region's arts advocacy at the local, state, and national level, and models best practices for accessibility and equity in the arts.

For interviews with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, image use requests, and any other media questions, please contact Manager of Communications Lisa Cunningham at 412-391-2060, ext. 227 or lcunningham@pittsburghartscouncil.org.