From the States

Bangalore: A Special Art Exhibition

A boy throws away his crutches as he stares at the horizon in awe. The colours of the sky are intense - orange and yellow and into that a bird soars beyond the limits. The message is stark - the limit is just a mindset.

The exhibition, 'Kalamela' at the Chitrakala Parishat has brilliant canvases comprising of a selection of art works by artists and children with disabilities and is organized by the Association of People with Disability (APD).

It is an unusual exhibition and so is the spirit of the people, who have made it happen. Mr. V S Basavaraj, director APD said that 'Kalamela' was a culmination of a three-day art event that they had organized last year, on the occasion of the World Disability Day.

They selected paintings of 75 artists including children. Mohammed Niyamath, a polio patient, showed his painting - a near abstract depicting a child with a disability breaking mental and physical barriers, to express himself in various fields such as theatre, art, adventure and music.

He said that people with disabilities have a mindset of their own, one that has built in them and the other, inflicted by society. This hampers them from going ahead. Art breaks those barriers.

Mr. Basavaraj said that the smaller frames were made by children, most of which were centered around nature. The colours were vibrant and the paintings beautiful. APD works with 1,000 children in 20 slums in Bangalore.

Out of those they train 220 children, who are inclined towards art. The proceeds of the sale of the paintings at CKP would be used for children with disabilities for their educational, medical and other needs.

Source: Grounded by disability, but spirit soars high through art. Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 14 February 2006.