[Assam] for information: NY art auction to aid community biosphere reserve in Arunachal Pradesh

[utpal borpujari]

UNITED HUES FOR A GLOBAL CAUSE
 
(published on the front page of Sakaal Times, 31-08-08, www.sakaaltimes.com) 


The Adi tribals of
Arunachal Pradesh’s
Simong village may be a
world removed from US architect
Maya Lin, Spanish footwear
designer Manolo Blahnik
and Indian photographer Dayanita
Singh. But the latter have
thrown their weight behind a
1,000 sq km biosphere reserve
the Adi community plans to
develop.
Lin, Blahnik and Singh will
join 15 other renowned artists
at an auction in New York on
September 18 to raise funds
for these tribals in Upper Siang
district of Arunachal Pradesh
under the aegis of international
NGO, Future Generations.
Perhaps the fi rst reserve of its
kind in India, the Eko Dumbing
Community Biosphere Reserve
area is home to an array of
medicinal and aromatic plants
and rare fl owers. The 18 artists
are being brought together for
“Project Globe: An Art Auction
and Exhibition Benefi ting
Future Generations” by leading
US magazine Travel + Leisure.
The others who have donated
their works are photographers
Eric Boman and Facundo
de Zuviria, designers Constantin
and Laurene Boym, jewellery
designer Monica Castiglion,
sculptor Sandro Chia, artists
April Gornik, Florent Morellet,
Rebecca Riley, Laurie Simmons,
Pat Steir, Fred Wilson, sculptorturned-
jewellery designer Gabriella
Kiss, ceramicist Matthew
Solomon and cake designer
Sylvia Weinstock.
“Like travel, art has a transformative
power, and it is a
privilege to bring together the
passions that so many people
share for such a worthy cause,”
Travel + Leisure editor-in-chief
Nancy Novogrod said.
Nalong Mize, a member of
Future Generations Arunachal,
says: “The upper reaches of
Siang river were the traditional
hunting ground of the Simong
villager till recently.” Explaining
the area’s geo-strategic
importance, Mize says, “It’s in
the extension area of the world’s
deepest gorge, the Tsangpo
gorge in Tibet, four times deeper
than the Grand Canyon.”
UTPAL BORPUJARI
bureaus at sakaaltimes.com