|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A large wooden frame with beams looking like iron rods welcomes you to the art exhibition by inmates of Tihar Jail in the capital. As you peep into the frame, the mirror reflects your face and two words "born innocent" stare back. Most of the art works in the exhibition called Expressions, on at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), tell a thousand words with a mere stroke of a brush or a seemingly simple installation.
Whether it’s a painting of a small nude boy, with the words ‘mera baap chor hai’ (my father is a thief) inscribed on his arm, or that of a woman lost in her own thoughts, be it a black and white photograph of a young man holding the iron rods of a gate with the words "I want to go out" or a collage with the words "set me free" — the exhibition offers a peep into the minds of the inmates and their thirst for freedom. According to Minister for Human Resource Development Kapil Sibal who had inaugurated the exhibition: "The inmates are also human beings and are not different from the rest of us. They are where they are because of the circumstances. It could happen to anyone. "This exhibition is an effort to give the inmates a chance to express themselves and to look at them from a different point of view. I found three art works especially touching — one was that of a woman whose pain was visible in her eyes, one of a little clock with no hands to say that time has stood still for the inmates and another of a child of an inmate," says Sibal Initiated by the Ramchander Nath Foundation and Ojas Art, who started working among the Tihar inmates aged 18-27 in 2007, the exhibition is on till September 2. According to one of the curators of the exhibition, the medium of art can successfully rehabilitate the inmates. To further encourage the inmates, a small group of contemporary artists visited the jail to interact with the inmates and train them so that they can hone their skills. Besides the art works, a documentary on the entire art programme inside the jail is also being screened at the exhibition. Filmed by Arjun Pandey, this documentary will be submitted in different film festivals across the world. This freedom of expression through art in the four walls of the jail has made a difference in the lives of many inmates. Pawan, a 20-year-old undertrial from Bihar, has found his calling in the confines of the Tihar Jail. An inmate of the men’s ward meant for convicts and undertrials between 18 and 21, he is now a budding artist. Pawan’s large water colour "Baby Krishna slurping cream and butter from a pot" drawn to meticulous details on paper is part of the exhibition that also features 36 leading contemporary artists besides 35 inmates of Tihar Jail, who have chosen art as their vocation under a rehabilitation project. More than 100 works are on display. "‘Krishna’ is actually a collaborative work which three of us worked on —but I led the team," says Pawan, pointing to his co-artists Sanjay and Mehtab. The exhibition includes big names like Rameshwar Broota, Chintan Upadhyay, Bose Krishnamachari, Riyas Komu, Jehangir Jani, T.V. Santosh and Tejal Shah, along with upcoming artists in Tihar Jail, Pawan, Suraj, Sanjay and Mehtab. The exhibition has been sponsored by Delhi Prisons, NGO Ramchander Nath Foundation and IGNCA. There is a 50 ft X 30 ft workshop inside the jail, where the young artists work. "We have designed the workshop in such a way that it allows play of natural light throughout the day and remains well-ventilated," says Deputy Superintendent Mahavir Singh Meena, who watches over the artists at work. The jail authorities and the foundation provide the raw material, while instructor Chaitali De from the Delhi College of Art has taught them the techniques of miniature enlargement, portraiture, acrylic painting, water colours and oil painting, along with basic art theory, history and appreciation. The artists have familiarised themselves with the latest in contemporary art through books, brochures and catalogues on art at the jail library and through interactive workshops on the premises with established artists. "I have taught them how to make graphs to draw large format figures so that they are proportionate. They like to make colourful figurative compositions rather than abstractions. I want them to master the techniques so that they can take to commercial art as career options after release," says De. She visits the jail every Friday for two hours. Suraj, a young undertrial from Uttar Pradesh, is an expert calligraphist. He usually incorporates texts into the art works. Dipu, another inmate from Bihar, treats his subjects with innovation. A portrait of Mother Teresa in watercolour that the inmate has drawn looks at the world with one larger-than-life eye, while a traditional Indian woman has a lotus for a head. "What’s wrong if Mother Teresa looks at the world with one big eye? I like to portray my figures differently because I think of ways to depart from tradition every time I paint," says Dipu. "Tihar is a place where people generally do not like to go. But those who have gone there for various reasons cannot be socially, culturally and politically ostracised. My intention is to rehabilitate them through art," says Anubhav Nath, the head of the Ramchander Nath Foundation. He conceived the project two years ago and "the jail authorities were more than cooperative". This is the first mega exhibition that the Delhi Prisons and the foundation are hosting to display Tihar art. Art is proving a great healer, says DSP Meena. "The aggression, depression and the propensity to violence have been replaced by creative spirit. They love to paint and the colours soothe their nerves. In fact, some of them can establish themselves as artists if they get a little help after they complete their terms." Nath has managed to set
up one former inmate as an apprentice with a leading Delhi-based
contemporary artist after he was released a few months ago. — IANS
|
|||
|
|
|||
