Bhubaneswar-based Utsha Foundation for Contemporary Art has announced Manveer Singh as the winner for the “METIS Initiative on Plastics and Indo-Pacific Ocean 2021” Residency, which is being organised in Collaboration with French Development Agency (AFD).

Manveer’s entry was selected from 26 applicants. Delhi-based artist Manveer’s project “From Plastic to Art” was selected by a two-tier jury comprising experts in the field of Art, Environment, and Urban Development.

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Eminent artist Pranati Panda, Arun Kumar H.G and art historian Prof. Pradosh Mishra was part of the initial screening while Bruno Bosle, Country Director, AFD, India; eminent artist and environmental campaigner Ravi Agarwal, Utsa Managing trustee and eminent artist Jagannath Panda, climate action advocate Susmita Mohanty and architect AadishNargunde were members of the final jury.

As part of this initiative, a grant of Rs.2 lakhs will be offered to Manveer to develop an artistic response on the concept of plastics and ocean survival in the Odisha context.

The artwork created will be located in Odisha and will be based on plastic waste to raise public awareness about recycling and the need to reduce consumption.

The METIS initiative is part of the French Development Agency (AFD) celebrating its 80th Anniversary on December 2, this year and for this, the agency has planned events across the Indo-Pacific Region.

AFD has decided to launch a global initiative METIS, to create a global public opinion on marine debris and pollution.

Under the initiative, three nations are being added to celebrate the grand occasion, i.e. India, Mauritius, and Indonesia.

While this will encourage the participation of artists in India to express their ideas relating to plastic waste production, management, and its ill effects on the fragile coastal ecosystem, in Mauritius and Indonesia music and comics respectively would be used to create public awareness.

Currently, AFD is funding the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate, and Sustain (CITIIS) Programme and Bhubaneswar through the Smart City Mission.

The Temple City is a key city in India under this association, as AFD has selected Bhubaneswar to have a short-term residency in association with Utsha Foundation on the METIS theme. The local artists will also be given international exposure by linking them with their Indonesian and Mauritian counterparts.

Utsha Foundation has been working in the field of Visual Arts with the objective of inspiring the younger generation of artists and art enthusiasts to explore new idioms of creative expression.

The Foundation takes up projects involving aspiring young visual artists and provides them exposure, training, and hands-on experience of creating art with a fresh approach with contemporary significance.

During the Hockey World Cup in 2018 Utsha Foundation worked with the city to organise the Bhubaneswar Art Trail with the participation of artists from across the world.