Four years ago, artist Deepa Nath began her journey as a volunteer at an orphanage run by Advocates of Babies In Crisis (ABC). As a mindful ritual, she says she would pen down her thoughts and experiences in a diary. She recalls, “On my first visit, I saw so many new born babies in one room that I didn’t know whom to carry. Children are segregated into different rooms according to their age.” Overwhelmed, she moved to interact with toddlers but could break ice with them only after five months.
When Deepa narrated her experiences to a friend, she suggested that Deepa document the positive impact of all these experiences in a book. “That is when it hit me that I could tell a powerful story of so many volunteers and NGOS who work untiringly to make the life of the less fortunate children comfortable and joyful.”
Stories in paintings
That made her embark on two projects. She worked on the launch a new coffee table book. She also began to create a series of art works to highlight the efforts of volunteers and thus inspire people. That was the genesis of of her book Collective Conscience .
Interspersed with Deepa Nath’s paintings, the coffee table book Collective Conscience brings together stories of volunteers from across the country, working with over 12 NGOs, mostly from Hyderabad, but also from Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi and Jaipur.
In the book, volunteer Lindsey Ford recalls walking into an orphanage room lined with cribs in Hyderabad. Another volunteer Chandra Satish explains how life changed when he saw a woman collecting left over food from the plates so that she could feed her children.
A significant moment for Deepa when she was was trying to console three-and-half-year-old Mahalakshmi (she painted the little girl on canvas too) at the orphanage. “The little girl was born to a woman with mental disabilities who was raped. Even in that condition, the woman wouldn’t leave her daughter. But when the girl’s aunt left with the mother, it was unbearable to see the trauma of this girl,” she says.
Collective Conscience has refreshingly vibrant images, in sharp contrast to the grim reality it paints in words.
The artist has incorporated kalamkari in her paintings. Besides a few etchings, she has used pen and ink as well in some images.
Cheerful colours
Deepa says she didn’t want to make it dark and depressing. “There are many moments where one comes back feeling happy. There is sadness but there are also moments when we play or bond with them. Instead of highlighting the sorrow, I wanted to make it cheerful, through colours.” She says. “Everybody needs to collectively contribute to the underprivileged children’s welfare in our own little way.”
Deepa credits her friend Anita Narayansamy for editing the content and Narendra Paruchuri of Pragati Printers for sponsoring Collective Conscience which was launched recently by MP Rajeev Gowda in Delhi.
The book’s preface and foreword have been written by Nobel peace prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, Ramon Magsaysay and Padma awardee Shantha Sinha and MP Shashi Tharoor.
Deepa plans to distribute the book at airports, coffee shops, hotels and college libraries. The book is priced at ₹3,000.