This Children’s Day saw a bunch of kids of Sri Chitra Home in the city getting initiated into the art of mural painting. Deviating from the usual way of replicating mythological incidents as temple art, they are choosing a set of moments from history as their subjects. The kids are to be trained in presenting the pivotal moments related to Gandhiji in an unusual way.
This is a joint venture of Kerala Sarvodaya Sangh and Chithra Pathamk art gallery at Kowdiar. In a one-month-long training, selected kids will practise the art and later would put up an exhibition of their works. As part of the venture, 17 kids participated in a painting programme by completing a portrait of Jawaharlal Nehru and creating drawings, at the Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan opposite Ayurveda College on Wednesday.
“From these kids, only selected ones will be provided training after observing their skills and ability to draw. Before starting to do mural art, the artist must be acquainted with every other kind of drawing. They would be given training in line sketching, which has a very significant role in the creation of mural paintings,” said Manuj Brahmapaad of Chithra Pathamk art gallery who has made mural depictions of Raja Ravi Varma paintings.
Gandhiji at Dandi March, salt satyagraha and Gandhiji in meditation would be represented as murals. The pictures of Jawaharlal Nehru would also have their mural versions.
“It was after a discussion with the Sarvodaya Sangh and the gallery that we decided to organise a training camp for the kids in mural art. We also found a different perspective for the subject,” says K G Baburaj, administrator of Sarvodaya Sangh. The classes would be held at Sri Chitra Home in the evenings when the school hours are over. After the exhibition, the paintings would be put up for sale.