Kashmiri artists’ part of ‘Team India’ selected for US Snow Sculpture Championship-2018

SRINAGAR: A snow sculpture team of India led by a young Kashmiri artist has been selected for the second consecutive year for Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship 2018 to be held in United States. The snow sculpture team ‘Callisto’ was selected from India for the first time in 2017 for the international snow sculpture championship which is being held annually in US. The team consists of four artists Zahoor Din Lone, Sunil Kushwaha, Ravi Prakash, Mridul Kumar Upadhyay wins spirit award last year. This year the team led by Kashmir Artist Zahoor Din Lone has been selected again. However this year the team has replaced Mridul Kumar Upadhyay with another Kashmiri artist Irfan Lateef Mir for the championship. The championship is being organized by the International Snow Sculpture Organizing Committee (ISSCOC) form last 28 years in Breckenridge, Colorado, US. This is the first ever snow sculpture team from India to represent team India in any International snow sculpture championship. Zahoor Din Lone who hails from a small village of Pattan Singhpora in north Kashmir has pursued Masters in Fine arts from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi after completing his Bachelors in Fine arts from University of Kashmir. Zahoor will be leading an Indian four member team to United States for this Snow Sculpture Championship. Before participating in US based championship in 2017, Zahoor has earlier participated and gained experience of snow sculpture from ‘Snow Fiesta-2014’, organized by the Eplanner event management and J&K Tourism in Gulmarg. “It was due to the ‘Snow Fiesta’ camp that I got an international opportunity and an opportunity to lead team India at international platform in United States,” he thanks to Eplanner. “I submitted work samples of the sculpture camp in which i participated in 2014. That camp really helped me to grab this opportunity. And we were selected for US championship in 2017. This year we again applied and got selected. In valley we have enough talent but lack platform to explore”, he said. However, due to callous attitude of state government last year, he said, “We didn’t receive any support or logistic help. We managed out tools, uniform and other miscellaneous expenditures ourselves.” The ISSCOC receives hundreds of fantastic submissions across the world to the event among just sixteen teams are chosen. Interestingly this year for the first time a team from India has been chosen from among these fine submissions for the world class snow event at Breckenridge in US. Irfan Lateef Mir of Lolab area of Kupwara district, another young sculpture artist from valley has been included in the team by Zahoor for this year’s championship. Mir is an Artist who explores different mediums and does most of his works in Metal wire. Sunil Kushwaha, a young national sculpture artist has his sculptures based on perfectly combined concepts of social issues, criticism and aestheticism. He belongs to a rural village of Singrauli, one of Madhya Pradesh’s Maoist-hit districts. He says, Art kept him engaged during unrest situations. In his works, repetition and rhythm implies dynamic, complex narratives, at times playful or urgent. His fine sculptures are ‘Stages of Desire (Medium: black stone-glass)’ and ‘Voyage’ (Medium: stone-metal sculpture).Sunil earned a Master’s of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Ravi Prakash, a young national sculpture artist describes his artwork as an expressive representation of his social experience. Ravi belongs to a very backward region of Bihar and he took art as the medium of social and economic development. The rawness can be seen in his work. He can work in many other materials but prefers to work in metal wire; an unconventional, flexible and long lasting material. Weaving and molding the wire to give a physical form shows his hard work. His fine sculptures include ‘Milkman’, ‘Mother Nature in Pain’ and ‘Soulmate’ (the other half). He is a double Gold Medalist, both in Bachelors of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Allahabad University and Masters of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. These artists said that India gets snow every year but they don’t find culture, recognition and appreciation for snow sculpting in India, unlike many countries of the world. They said they as a team, hope to create entirely a new culture of youth engagement in snow art. Here is the latter Greetings Team India, (Mr. Zahoor Din lone, Mr. Ravi Prakash, Mr. Sunil Kushwaha & Mr. Irfan lateef Mir) With enthusiasm and excitement, the International Snow Sculpture Organizing Committee (ISSCOC) is pleased to inform you that your team has been selected to participate in the 2018 event. Each year, the ISSCOC receives hundreds of fantastic submissions to the event and the task of choosing just sixteen teams is a substantial one. Your team has been chosen from among these fine submissions and we look forward to hosting you and in seeing your piece realized by way of the world class snow our Breckenridge event is famous for. Now in its 28th year, the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships will bring together 16 teams representing 12 countries from around the world to present intricate works of snow art. In the championship, Four-person teams will carve 20-ton, 12-foot-tall blocks of snow without the use of power tools, internal support structures, or colorants – just the ingenuity of the sculptors and a medium that lends itself, if only temporarily, to the persuasion of hand tools. Attached is the 2018 event schedule (subject to change). Below are other very important details regarding the event. Please pay special attention to the **important dates for your team to confirm that you have accepted our invitation and that you plan to attend the event in 2018. Also very important is the date we need to receive your confirmed travel details. These dates are crucial to the ISSCOC as they provide the time required to coordinate ground transportation, lodging and other event details associated with this Grand Event. **See important dates shown below. Stipend – One exceptional benefit the ISSCOC is proud to offer to our teams is a travel stipend intended to defer the costs of air travel. Please note that this benefit will not cover 100% of your airfare. It is intended to cover approximately 60% of your airfare. Lodging – 100% Complimentary lodging will be provided beginning Sunday, January 21, 2018 and ending Sunday, January 28, 2018. Lodging is provided for four team members ONLY. Lodging Check in is Sunday, January 21, 2018 and check out is Sunday, January 28, 2018. ALL expenses associated with any extended lodging nights and/or additional people are 100% the responsibility of your team. Ground Transportation – This service is provided for four team members only. The transportation to and from the Denver Airport to Breckenridge is 100% paid by the ISSCOC. Ground transportation from locations other than the Denver Airport may be possible, must be coordinated by the ISSCOC and additional expenses associated with this type of transportation must be paid for by your team. Meals – Expenses for most meals for your four person team are 100% covered for the week by the ISSCOC. Sculpting – You must have 4 team members in order to compete in this event. Sculpting will begin Monday, January 22, 2018 at 1100 hours (11am) and will conclude Sunday, January 28, 2018 at 900 hours (9am). There is a total of 65 hours of sculpting allowed during these dates. Please note that you will not be sculpting 24 hours a day. The 65 hours of sculpting are detailed on the attached schedule. **Important Dates: No later than Friday October 6, 2017: We need to receive confirmation from your team that you have accepted our invitation and that you plan to attend the 2018 event. No later than Monday December 1, 2017: We need to receive your complete and confirmed travel and flight information and any special requests that your team may have. This provides us with the time required to coordinate ground transportation, lodging, etc. Congratulations! On behalf of the ISSCOC and the entire community of Breckenridge,we anticipate your arrival in Breckenridge.

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