As you gaze upon them with awe and admiration in your eyes, you may soon realise that their world is no different from yours. These hearing impaired artists are clearly able to convey the courage that lies in their hearts, mesmerising all with their talent.
Depicting the harsh reality of everyday life, these enthusiasts are a part of a group exhibition called Eyes Empowered -- Part Three. Organised by the Cheshire Disability Trust, the exhibition is a tribute to deaf culture. Characterised by sweeping brush strokes, vibrant colours and metaphysical elements, most of the paintings are in fact a satirical interpretation of life through the eyes of a hearing-impaired person.
“We are tired of people asking us if our world is silent, all the time. There’s music in silence. One doesn’t need the presence of physical sounds to appreciate the beauty of music. In fact, solitude is a beautiful concept. It is quite easy for us to appreciate things that truly matter in life,” said the hearing-impaired artists in sign language.
For one of the participants, Anjasha, art provides him the perfect opportunity to express his emotions in colours. The fluidity and worn out texture of his paintings add a third dimension to his artwork altogether.
Apart from creating his own co-ordinate system, C Ganesh has strived to depict everyday life through the magical realm of stars and constellations. The artist has also managed to capture the simplicity of rural life through bold colours and unconventional compositions.
Likewise, Jyothi K Kumar’s works showed how the concept of music is alien to deaf culture. According to the artist, the canvas provides her the voice to communicate with the entire world.
Striking a balance between joy and anguish, Rashmi Amatya’s paintings infused soft hues of dusty yellow and pale green with a rich palette of deep crimsons.
Primarily revolving around psychedelia, her paintings showcased the importance of harmony and calmness in one’s life.
“For us, it is all about the eyes. I believe that we are more focused and can concentrate on things better. Sounds cannot distract us at all. Through my paintings, I would like to instill the importance of understanding life at a fundamental level. Colours enable us artists to understand the moods and emotions of both living and non-living entities in a better way,” said Rashmi whose paintings captured the intrinsic nature of sound waves and vibrations.
While Sriharsha Sukla’s multi-media art work brought to life the innocence of childhood, Barapatre Manoj’s textured art and combing technique paved way for a new form of realism in art. “We communicate with the entire world using sign language. Through my paintings, I have tried to impress upon people the need for a peaceful world,” said Sriharsha Sukla with a smile.
The exhibited will go on till September 29 at Leela Palace.