An open-air sculpture museum, touted as the first in the state, was inaugurated at Kalinga Nagar here on Tuesday.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the museum that is spread over five acres.

Twenty-one artists from 14 countries joined hands to create sculptures from waste and scrap metals that will be permanently displayed at the museum that has the theme — reduce, reuse and recycle.

An initiative of youth organisation Artists Network Promoting Indian Culture (ANPIC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), the museum aims at creating awareness among people on environment, climate change and other environmental issues.

While inaugurating the museum, Naveen said: “It feels great to see youngsters in the state taking such initiatives. All the sculptures are stunningly beautiful and I feel it would add to the experiences that one can have in the capital city.”

Nils Hansen, an artist from Germany, has used the motif of a crouching tiger for his artwork that gives an illusion of a moving animal.

For Nils, who generally works with stone, creating something using metal was a challenge. “I find stone sensual, but I also feel that art has no boundaries. So, here I got a chance to explore my creativity,” said Nils.

Augusto Daniel Gullo from Argentina has created a sculpture in the shape of a lion with an open mouth. Made with iron rods, the art installation is inspired from the pillars of Ashoka.“I researched a lot about the aesthetic representation of the lion. While making the sculpture, I gave attention to the front side of the face and the claws to convey strength from different angles,” said Augusto.

Talking about his first visit to India, he said: “Everything about this country is so grand. I have made a lot of friends here and would love to come here again.”