Rangoli Art Exhibition (Courtesy: Vasudha Sharma)
The sixth annual Renton Multicultural Festival was held May 6-7 with more than two dozen performances including song, dance, music and puppet shows. Both days are free and open to the public.
A distinguishing feature of the festival is the first-ever multicultural art exhibition and competition hosted by Earth Voices, a nonprofit organization that provides community engagement through art and events.
Vasudha Sharma, founder and CEO of Planet Voices, said: “The purpose of the Multicultural Art Show is to invite people from across the region to enjoy the many traditions of Renton’s diverse community.
Without a doubt, it’s about celebrating arts and culture, learning and sharing. We have received great support from 4 Culture (King County Cultural Funding Agency) and the City of Renton for this unique exhibit. “
In total, 32 artists participated in more than 70 artworks from different cultures.
The winners of the People’s Choice Award are Meena Bhujang, Vaishali Bhinde and Vyshali Thimmappa, who created their work “Meditation” live using Rangoli, Pooja Saini, an art form originating from the Indian subcontinent, at an event called “Floral Rangoli”. The artwork’ uses acrylics on canvas, and Rodney H. King’s piece ‘The Mascot Transformation’ represents their love of African American culture.
