Over 200 artworks by masters and contemporary artists from all over the world – from Europe, America, Middle East, India and Africa – will be on display at Kolkata's first international art biennale, beginning today. The 13-day art extravaganza (till April 19) is being organised by Roymans Art Studio (London, Calcutta, Ankara), under the license of European Art Society of London, at Birla Academy of Art and Culture. Artist Manas Roymans, convenor of the event and founder of the art studio, said, this is the first time that Kolkata is going to experience an international art biennale.

Christened 'Calcutta Art Biennale-2015', the international art biennale will include photographs, graphic art, paintings and sculptures.

Artworks from famed artists like SH Raza, Nandalal Bose, Ramananda Bandopadhyay, Jogen Chowdhury, Alexander Tokarev, John Wieser, Wasim Kapoor and many others will be put up at the show.

Roy, whose own creations will also be showcased, said the main aim was to provide a chance to many local artists who could not participate in the international art biennales (mainly in Europe) due to prohibitive costs. Local artists can now get an opportunity to participate in a global licensed biennale in the city itself and become qualified as a biennale artist.

Adding to the variety will be projects by visual artists from countries like the Netherlands, the UK, Turkey, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Senegal, Uganda, Qatar, Kuwait, USA and Taiwan. Felicitations and interactive sessions are also going to be held.