A three-day art show featuring the works of 30 local student artists has been enchanting visitors with a broad sweep of themes and techniques.
Organised by Design School at Rajeswari Hall, Karur By-Pass Road, the ‘Magical Expressions 2017’ exhibition this year has an additional focus on pictures that evoke different periods of history.
“We want students to understand history not just as textbook lessons, but through their artistic expression,” T. Nasrath Beagum, Director, Design School, told The Hindu .
“So each of the 30 participants has had to submit one painting on a history topic, and three others on an issue of their choice.”
The show was inaugurated on Saturday by chief guests R. Kalaikovan, Director, Dr. M. Rasamanickanaar Historical Research Centre and M. Sirpi Jayaraman, sculptor and artist, Puducherry.
The students chose to portray specific periods from Indian history, and presented them as a collage of images.
G. Lawson Joel, Class 9 student of Campion Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, showed the different hallmarks of the Vijayanagara Empire under the rule of Emperor Krishnadevaraya.
“I researched the pictures on the internet for inspiration, and took six days to complete it,” he said.
A finely detailed painting of a dog was an eye-catching offering by S. Bhuvaneshwar, Class 8 student of Kamala Niketan Montessori School (CBSE). “Getting the fur and eyes of the animal accurately were the most difficult part of this piece. I had to mix many shades to get a realistic effect of light and shadow,” he said, adding that the painting took him one month to complete.
On-the-spot drawing and colouring competitions were held in conjunction with the art show, for students from Lower Kindergarten to Class 8, under three categories.
‘Magical Expressions 2017’ is scheduled to conclude on Monday evening with prizes and certificates of participation to be given away by K. Natarajan, head of programmes, All India Radio, G. Lakshmi Prabha, Managing Trustee, Sri Vignesh Educational Institutions and Hello FM radio host Saha.
