Start of the festive year: Indian Art Exhibition at Landhuis Bloemhof A Journey Through India "Maharani" by Jayshree Mirpuri Oil on canvas "Shirt" by V.K. Ashok Oil on canvas The Boolchand Group commenced the celebration of its 75th anniversary in the Kingdom of the Netherlands on October 6, 2005. Landhuis Bloemhof was the location where the special exhibition was opened for the general public. The exhibition linked the Indian origins of the Boolchand family to their present home, the island of Curaçao. For the Boolchand family this event was an opportunity to show their appreciation for the support received during the past 75 years. As a token of their gratitude all proceeds from this exhibition were be donated to local charity. ‘A Journey through India. Dakshin-art’, offered contemporary modern art from the South of India. The word ‘Dakshin’ is Hindi for ‘South’. The works of art had been carefully selected to show a representative sample collection of contemporary modern art from India. The paintings were figurative as well as abstract and the artists ranged from young and talented to established, leading artists. With this first exhibition on South Indian art, the Boolchand Group set out to show the diversity, quality and originality of the visual-arts of this intriguing country. The works on display showed that the artistic language of India is very different and at the same time very similar to our own. For instance, there is a difference in the treatment of space which accounts for the flatness experienced in the composition of Indian art. There is also a remarkable strong tie between the Hindu Religion and the arts. Religion has deeply influenced the Indian arts and has made it rich with an incredible complex iconography. The Boolchand family and Landhuis Bloemhof trust that this exhibition provided visitors with a true appreciation for the visual arts of India. All the works of art had been selected from Prakrit Art Gallery in Chennai, India. ‘Prakrit’ signifies ‘natural’. The gallery was founded in 2002 and already plays a leading role in the art market of India and organizes exhibitions by artists from mainly South India in both India and abroad. In honor of the anniversary of the Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Boolchand family commissioned Jayshree Mirpuri, an Indian artist living on Curaçao since 1992, to portray Her Majesty Queen Beatrix. This painting was also on exhibited at the gallery.