KOCHI: For 45-year-old Devutty, mural painting has been something she had only admired and never thought she would be introduced to it. A DLS legal volunteer and a transgender activist, Devutty is now participating in a three-day mural painting workshop held here in Aluva from Wednesday.
Thirty-two-year-old Sanjeesh, a makeup man, who is attending the same camp is all excited as he talks about the camp. A sexual minority, Sanjeesh identified himself as gay.
Sanjeesh asserts that this is probably the first time that someone has organised a mural art camp for sexual minorities.
More than 25 people like Devutty and Sajeesh are attending the mural painting workshop led by artist K R Babu. This is also the beginning of their acquaintance with a possible source of livelihood in future.
Apart from training them to do mural painting on canvas, they will also be made familiar with terracotta and bamboo, which opens up more opportunities for them.
This is artist K R Babu’s first workshop for transgender and sexual minority community. “I was really apprehensive at first as I have never had to interact on such a level with the community. I am glad that I did now. They are the most dedicated and most attentive students I have ever had. And most of them are artistically inclined. I can see talent in them,” said K R Babu.
Folkland, who organised the event will be continuing the initiative and will soon be holding another workshop in Kannur for the transgender community.
“It is only a three-day workshop. Only the basics can be given during this period. We want to keep on doing this and we are stumped by the response we got and would love to bring more people into the fold,” said D R Jayarajan, chairman of Folkland. The programme was sponsored by Dorf Kettle’s CSR fund.