The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : When youngsters express themselves in colour

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Friday, May 16, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

When youngsters express themselves in colour

Staff Reporter

Children’s take on their worldview will go on display tomorrow

CREATIVE: This work of art will go on display at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Bangalore on Saturday.

Bangalore: Artwork by children is no longer confined to simple sketches of houses and flowers that we display on our refrigerators. Some impressive works of art by children between the ages of five and 15 — reflecting their changing times — will be showcased at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan from May 17 to May 23.

The theme of the exhibition is “Meet My Friend” and is the end result of a 13-day workshop organised by Visual Art Workshops (VAW) in association with Ananya Drishya in April.

The exhibition will include paintings in soft pastel, mixed media, and photographs created by these children. More than half of the 19 participants are underprivileged children. All material was sponsored by Ananya Drishya.

“There are new themes every year and that is what makes the workshop interesting. We get the opportunity to learn something new with each new theme,” says Archana Raghu, who is now six years old and has been attending the workshop every year since she was three. This year, the young artists had to visit their friends — and capture them on the canvasses, right there in candid moments — whether brushing their teeth or towelling their hair or just staring into space.

Photography was added to the curriculum this year and children got a hands-on experience of using various cameras. “In times when digital and mobile cameras have entered every household, we thought it would be beneficial if the students were taught how to shoot spontaneous, creative photographs, by professionals,” said R. Raja, founder-president of Visual Art Workshops. Interestingly, even TV remotes and mobile chargers have become themes for the young artists.

“The workshop is unlike any other as we analyse the works and give them useful inputs in an environment in which the children are free to express themselves. Mistakes are good and we encourage children to portray what they see effectively. It is found that children grasp these concepts much faster than adults who have been conditioned to think in a certain way,” says Mr. Raja.

“The team of artists at the workshop know how to deal with children and their advice is helpful,” says Abhinav Rao (15) who has attended the course for four years. Echoing his views, his mother Mala Rao adds, “He loves the place and plays there too. It is a comfortable environment where they develop the child’s self-esteem.”

Raghu Purushottam, another parent, feels that life has become job-oriented. “In the education system, the absence of art nullifies education itself,” he says.

For further details, contact Visual Art Workshops on Ph: 26890006 or email: visualartworkshops@yahoo.comor Ananya on Ph: 23440409 or ananya.blr @airtel- broadband.in

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