LAHORE, Nov 22: The selected works of six old masters and eight young artists from five South Asian nations -- India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan -- will be mounted at an exhibition entitled Old Masters, Young Voices : South Asian Art at the Alhamra Art Council from Tuesday.

The show will continue till Dec 5. The two-day, first of its kind South Asian art exhibition is being organized by the Chief Minister's Task Force on Lahore (CMTL).

Though the exhibition has no formal theme, it is expected to serve as a dialogue between old masters and young artists, CMTL member Salima Hashmi had told a press briefing last month.

By pairing an old master with a young contemporary artist, she had stated, the exhibition will aim at showcasing evolution of the art movement in each participating Saarc country.

Legendary masters like M F Husain and Krishan Khanna from India, Gulgee and Shahid Sajjad from Pakistan, H A Karunaratne from Sri Lanka, and Shashi Bikram Shah from Nepal would themselves present their art in person.

Young artists who would company the old masters from their respective countries are: Atul Dodiya (India), Shashir Bhattacharya (Bangladesh), Sujan Chitrakar (Nepal), Anoli Perera (Sri Lanka) and Naiza Khan, Anwar Saeed, Rashid Rana and Bania Abidi (Pakistan).

The CMTL has raised Rs6.5 million, including Rs3.5 million contributed by a bank, for holding the event. The Task Force has also generated Rs3 million from the private sector to renovate the Alhamra Art Gallery where the exhibition is being mounted.