The Unheard Stroke - Painting Competition

All That You

Need to Know: Finesse - The Art Club of IIM Ahmedabad presents The Unheard Strokes, a national-level painting competition organised as part of Palettes, our flagship annual art event held in December. Art has the power to tell stories that words often cannot. Through this competition, we invite student artists from across India to express their creativity, share their perspectives, and bring their interpretations to life on canvas. This year's theme,

Echoes: The Past, Still Sounding in the Present, celebrates the timeless influence of memories, traditions, heritage, and imagination. We invite artists to look back, reimagine the present, or create worlds that exist beyond reality. The competition will culminate in an exhibition at IIM Ahmedabad, showcasing selected artworks and the diverse perspectives of emerging artists.

Theme: ECHOES - The Past, Still Sounding in the Present Some things never truly grow old. They live on in the art we create, the places we visit, the stories we tell, and the memories we carry. From the charm of the ’80s and ’90s to the beauty of traditional art, from historic architecture to futuristic ideas inspired by the past, Echoes invites you to explore what has stood the test of time and give it a new meaning. Whether you recreate a bygone era, reinterpret a centuries-old tradition, capture the stories hidden in heritage, or imagine an entirely new world, we want to see your unique interpretation. Explore Echoes through the nostalgia of the ’80s and ’90s, traditional art forms passed down through generations, the stories and beauty of historic places, or imaginative blends of the past and future. You can also step beyond reality to create dreamlike landscapes and entirely new worlds. Interpret the theme through any medium or perspective that inspires you. These are only starting points, not rules. Your imagination, your interpretation. Look back. Reimagine. Create something that echoes.

Participation Guidelines: Individual entries only. Open to students enrolled in colleges and universities across India. All painting mediums are welcome, including acrylic, oil, watercolour, and mixed media. The artwork must be an original creation by the participant. Submission Format and

Artwork Requirements

Round 1: Online Qualification Participants must upload a two-page

PDF on Unstop

Page 1: Photograph(s) of the artwork (maximum two photographs).

Page 2: Artist’s Note explaining the concept, inspiration, and message behind the artwork. The Artist’s Note must follow the prescribed template: Download Artist Note Template

Template link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Njo4AVHLpaiwpqHYwAZUYffSyzips-0_/view Artwork Requirements for the

Final Exhibition: The artwork must be larger in area than an A3 sheet. There is no upper size limit, subject to practical display requirements. Artworks must be display-ready, either mounted, framed, or otherwise structurally supported. Shortlisted participants must arrange delivery of their original artworks to IIM Ahmedabad, either in person or through a securely packed courier.