From the classroom to the gallery

A group of talented students put up a two-day painting exhibition in an art gallery in the city.

March 15, 2010 07:19 pm | Updated 07:19 pm IST

Talent on display: For all to see.

Talent on display: For all to see.

Known artists exhibit their paintings in major galleries. But have you heard of a bunch of budding artists from a primary school teaming up to organise a group exhibition of their paintings in an art gallery in the city?

Going pro

A group of lively young talents from a government Upper Primary School at Nallalam in Kozhikode, have done just that. Backed by their teachers, as many as 35 students took to the city to hold a two-day group show at Shrishty Art Gallery in Kozhikode last week.

The show titled ‘Prime Colours' was organised under the banner of a creative intervention called ‘Smart Arts and Music' at the school, which was part of a developmental project named Vision 2012, being implemented at the school. Interestingly, not even five per cent of these “exploratory” artists have proper training or specialised coaching in painting.

Tthe school has only a part-time drawing teacher. “But they were talented in an instinctive way and responded well to the training,” says K.P. Renjith, a teacher at the school.

Prior to the exhibition, a four-day painting camp was organised at the school for the students. Artists including the drawing teacher at the school led the camp.

Appreciative crowd

“The camp really helped tune myself for drawing and learn a few technical things,” said Mujmeer Ali, who had one of his painting showcased at the exhibition. “I dream of becoming a known artist now,” says a motivated Mujmeer.

The youngsters tried watercolour, poster colour and glass paintings among other mediums, attracting a great number of visitors to the gallery. Some of their work also had poignant messages against polluting rivers and the felling of trees.

For G. Rishika, a Std VI student, whose painting was included in the show, the experience had something incredible about it. “Who can dream that a schoolgirl's work would be on the walls of an art gallery, which usually plays host only to the paintings of celebrated artists?” asked a thrilled Rishika.

It was, above all, the amazing response from the visitors, comprising parents and friends of the students, which took the school authorities by surprise.

“The heavy turn out really surprised and moved us,” says Renjith, who believes that it was an appreciation for their hard work and approval for the students' creative efforts.

“More than 500 visitors recorded their remarks at the gallery register and most of them were really encouraging,” said Renjith, who along with other teachers K. Smitha, Asha and Dineshan, co-ordinated the event.

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