Jamshedpur: The steel city got its third art gallery on Monday.

Acclaimed artist and Padma Bhushan Jatin Das inaugurated the Ivana Art Gallery and an exhibition at The Alcor Hotel in Bistupur.

Works of Anjolie Ela Menon, J.M.S. Mani, Madhuri Bhaduri, Seema Kohli, Jatin Das and several other artists from across the country are being showcased at the 15-day exhibition. A talk show on Conceptual Art and Artists by Madhuri Bhaduri was held in the evening.

The permanent gallery promises to showcase works of renowned and local artists catering to the aesthetic needs of corporate houses and art lovers of the city.

It also has a website www.ivanaart.com from where art connoisseurs can buy their favourite pieces.

Das, who hails from the neighbouring Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, said he was saddened by the waning presence of local art in cities.

"The eastern part of the country has been neglected. All thrust has been laid on Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. There are so many tribal and folk art in this part of the country but no one notices. A state like Chhattisgarh doesn't have an art gallery despite its rich local culture. Jamshedpur, being in Jharkhand, should have had at least 20 galleries," he said, adding diverse art forms of Jharkhand deserved a gallery each.

He said art, in both its visual and performing forms, should be included in school curriculum.

Das said it was important to preserve the activity of an art form in the modern times.

Founder and CEO of Ivana Art Jenny said, "Ivana Art was conceived to curate an artist-friendly platform to display fine artwork and provide a niche for interaction between artists and art lovers."

"Our focus is to revive the interest of the common people in art and to rejuvenate the market, " she went on to add.

So far, Jamshedpur had two galleries- Acharya Nandalal Bose Art Gallery at The Bengal Club and Off the Wall, both in Sakchi.