Thiruvananthapuram: The Raja Ravi Varma Centre of Excellence for Visual Arts, Mavelikkara, will start a new post- graduate programme on Wednesday.
Cultural Affairs Minister K. C. Joseph will inaugurate the event. The Kerala University had established the centre for advanced studies in visual arts at Mavelikkara as a tribute to Raja Ravi Varma in the erstwhile art school.
The event also marked the centenary year of the founding of the art school, started by artist Rama Varma Raja, son of Raja Ravi Varma.
The centre was established to start post-graduate courses in visual arts at university level. An expert committee headed by Prof. Ratan Parimoo, director, L.D. Museum, Ahmedabad, former dean of the faculty of fine arts, M.S. University, Baroda, drafted the syllabi of the two courses--MVA in art history and MVA in painting-- taking into consideration national and international standards of art teaching.
Mr R. Nanda Kumar, Jawaharlal Nehru Fellow, Teen Murti Bhavan, New Delhi, and Prof. N.N. Rimson, former principal, College of Fine Arts,Thiruvananthapuram, were members of the committee.
The National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) team, which visited the centre, had appreciated the efforts of the university in establishing a centre in the name of Raja Ravi Varma which it described as a unique venture in the country.
The team had also proposed that the centre be shifted to more spacious campus, equipped with studios, art galleries, classrooms and residential amenities for students and teachers.
