Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) along with Ministry of Culture, Government of India is organizing the International Conference on Rock Art 2012 along with international exhibition and workshops. The event would mainly focus on the recent developments in rock art research and documentation. The event will be inaugurated by Hon’ble M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India, Hon’ble Chandresh Kumari Katoch, Union Minister of Culture, Prof. R G Bednarik, Governor & CEO and International Federation of Rock Art Organizations.

The festival will feature an exhibition of Indian and global rock art from December 7, 2012 to January 2013. To make people experience the unique nature of rock art, a cave-like set up has been designed on the lines of Bhimbetka, an archaeological World Heritage site located in Raisen District in Madhya Pradesh. The part of exhibition that will feature global rock art will be divided in zones showing art forms of different continents.

“This is an initiative which will help in understanding the roots of rock art and the journey since then, helping people to relate their theoretical knowledge with practical. India is fortunate in possessing one of the three largest concentrations of this world heritage. However, in India we still see a living continuity of this tradition in folk and tribal art forms,” said Dipali Khanna, Member Secretary, IGNCA.

Renowned scholars from 20 countries representing five continents would present review and overall status of rock art studies in their respective continents giving global insights into recent developments, challenges and problems through special lectures in the conference.