An imposing oil portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte is the centre of attraction in Sebastian Sequira’s collection of paintings displayed at Durbar Hall. The large work took him a year, he says.
The painting possesses soul and Sequira’s hard work is bringing in a steady stream of appreciation. “Capturing the true emotion in a work like this is incredibly hard and I wanted to make it perfect,” he says.
A senior superintendant at the District Medical Office (Health) in Kochi, Sequira had to pursue his passion for painting after office hours. He used to sketch the works during his free time and later, add colour to the works. Though he has learnt Fine Arts in Kochi for about five years, constant practice helped him refine his skill.
Oil painting is an expensive art and a time-consuming one, too, but it is creatively satisfying, he says. “They have long life because they are not easily destroyed. A lot of layering and coating is involved, so they last long,” Sequira says.
The exhibition has 22 paintings, many of them that were born from the artist’s interest in wildlife and his travels around Kerala. After his retirement from government service in 2016, Sequira plans to dedicate his days to painting.
The exhibition, ‘Rhythm 2’, is on till June 2.
