The 102nd exhibit at the Walkers' Gallery in San Marcos is devoted to artwork inspired by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

"Shilpa: Colors of India-Pakistan-Bangladesh" includes 136 works by more than 30 artists from across Texas, the United States and South Asia.

"My goal as director of the gallery is to bring as much art and culture to this gallery," said Linda Kelsey-Jones, director of Walkers' Gallery and co-curator of the exhibit.

Kelsey-Jones said the exhibit is a celebration of the South Asian culture.

Artist and co-curator Debangana Banerjee said the goal is for people in San Marcos and the surrounding areas to learn more about the colors, concepts and perspectives of the three cultures through art.

The collection took two years to bring together. Banerjee traveled to Houston, New Mexico and India to collect some of the artwork. Other pieces where shipped to the gallery and photographs where provided digitally.

"When we were collecting art, we talked about some realistic, some abstract, some design and photographic [works]," Banerjee said. "We tried to combine all so that the viewers will get a full perspective of not everything, but most."

Banerjee is a San Marcos artist born in India. Her work is featured alongside that of fellow India-born artists Piyali Sen Dasgupta and Boisali Biswas.

Not only South Asian artists gave art pieces to the gallery. Several American artists provided art to express their own perspective of Indian culture. Other Central Texas artists include four students and one professor from Texas State University.

"There is a real diversity of style. The best way to see that is look, walk and see the show," Kelsey-Jones said. "There is some very traditional work, there is some very realistic work, and there is also some very contemporary work."

Houston artist Neil Sen uses red, blue and yellow in his paintings, which prominently feature women in everyday situations, as in "Mother & Child" and "Fisher Woman."

Banerjee's artwork, "Incinerating Memories" and "Holding Roots, Sprouting Routes" are created by using woodcutting and linocut techniques.

The exhibit's featured photographers include Meena Kadri, Phil Douglis and Michael Foley, who are internationally recognized, Kelsey-Jones said.

The photograph "Untitled 1/1" by Rodolfo Choperena, who lives in San Antonio, depicts a woman selling produce at a market in Rajasthan, India. Banerjee said Choperena was fascinated and attracted to the color, texture and people of the marketplace.

Photographer Santanu Panja provided the gallery with a set of four photographs she titled "Festive Hands." The photographs are close-up images of hands worshiping the Hindu goddess Durga during the annual festival in South Asia called Durga Puja, meaning Worship of Durga.

San Marcos resident Gilbert Jaimes, who was visiting the exhibit recently, described the artwork as beautiful.

"It is very different from other displays before, very original," he said.

The Walkers' Gallery, located in the San Marcos Activity Center, will host a free public reception from 5–7 p.m. Jan. 27. The gallery will provide traditional snacks, classical instrumental Indian music and dance.

"Shilpa: Colors of India-Pakistan-Bangladesh" will be on display through March 2 at the San Marcos Activity Center, 501 E. Hopkins. St. The exhibit is free to the public and open during regular Activity Center hours.

In March, the gallery will host "Youth Art Month," featuring artwork from students in kindergarten through high school. In April, "Art Works in the Community" will showcase artwork from students, faculty, and alumni.