A flurry of strokes had a slice of the Eden gallery excited on Tuesday.
Bangladesh and Pakistan locked horns on the field. The strokes, however, came not from a bat but a brush.
Veteran painter Paresh Maity brought a canvas to life as the match unfolded on the ground.
The painting by Paresh Maity depicts a moment from the South Africa-Sri Lanka match in Delhi
In a section of K Block, to the left of Club House, Maity started painting on a round canvas — a nod to the shape of the stadium — around 2pm, when the match started. For the next seven hours, he made an acrylic-on-canvas, which showed three cricketers in action on the field.
In the background were the two buildings in the vicinity, one of them with a giant white ball on its roof.
Maity has been entrusted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with “capturing the distinct essence and the electrifying atmosphere” of venues hosting the World Cup matches.
The campaign, which aims to commemorate the rich and diverse tapestry of the World Cup frenzy through art, is titled “Cricket’s Greatest Canvas”.
“Amidst the electric atmosphere of the matches, he will paint cricket masterpieces, infusing the spirit of the game with his vibrant colours and imaginative strokes. As the matches unfold, spectators and art enthusiasts alike will have the unique opportunity to witness Maity’s creativity in action, adding an entirely new dimension to the World Cup experience. His live painting sessions promise to be a celebration of both cricket and art, merging the thrill of the game with the beauty of artistic expression,” the organisers have said.
Of the 10 stadiums hosting the World Cup matches, live painting sessions have been slotted for four. The first session was at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on October 7, during the South Africa-Sri Lanka clash.
After the Eden Gardens, Maity will travel to Wankhede in Mumbai on November 2 for the India-Sri Lanka match and to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 10 for the match between South Africa and Afghanistan.
“I watched and painted the game in Delhi between South Africa and Sri Lanka and felt that this tournament is a festival that unites everybody. Each stadium has its own vibe. But the Eden Gardens is special, especially under the lights,” Maity told The Telegraph on Tuesday.
A stream of spectators kept coming to catch a glimpse of the artist in action. Many of them, who identified the Padma Shri awardee, went up to take a picture with him.
“Cricket has long been a source of inspiration for great literature and art. We are delighted to have an artist of Paresh Marty’s calibre join us in stadiums across the country to capture special moments from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The live in-stadia painting will give fans the chance to see one of India’s great artists at work as he produces 10 canvases that will capture the unique spirit of this event,” said Claire Furlong, ICC general manager, marketing and communications.
The organisers plan to exhibit the paintings at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19 ahead of the summit clash.