“Children are often attracted to bright colours. Also, they are keen observants. Once we grow up, we lose this sensitivity towards simple things and do not find joy in the small things in life. This lack of child-like innocence is the main reason behind our stressful lives,” says R K Chandrababu, an artist in the city.
“The key to a stress-free life is to keep the child in you alive,” he adds.
This very thought kindled the idea of ‘55-amigos+..’, an exhibition of paintings done by 55 children conducted under the leadership of Chandrababu at the Durbar Hall . A total of 220 paintings done by his students majority of them under the age of 10, are on display at the exhibition.
“The name ‘amigos’ was suggested by one of my students Serene Joy. It is a word of Spanish origin which means friends. Through these pictures, we as grown-ups are trying to build a friendship with children and their myriad and vibrant thoughts and imaginations,” Chandrababu underlines.
The painting works recreated scenes from nature as well as from day-to-day life. A picture of road traffic in which the child portrayed buses and other vehicles, sky-rocketing buildings and apartments and gardens in front of houses have become subjects for painting for many of these kids. Flowers, birds, butterflies, water bodies and the like have also lured the imagination of young minds.
Elephant was yet another prominent theme for the children as many of them had depicted the animal in its varied postures.
Meera Viswom of the Global Public School,Thiruvaniyoor, painted smiling faces on vegetables while George Jacob of the same school depicted faces on leaves. Coffee mugs inspired another work by Allana Mariam Kuriakose, a class IV student. She brought-to-life smiles on those regular, mundane mugs.
“We were on a vacation tour when Chandrababu sir told about this exhibition. It was he who selected these drawings from our drawing books. He said he wanted the most childish and original works of ours, not the ones specially prepared for the exhibition. It was a matter of great surprise and happiness to see that some of our silliest works have been exhibited,” said Diya J Cyriac of The Choice School.
Meanwhile, the pictures of Jalwa Abdul Latheef, a first year BArch student, spoke about the conflicts that originate in a young adult’s mind.
“At one point or the other, most of us start looking at life with a fearful mind. Bringing back the child in you is the only solution to jump out of this unnecessary distress,” says Chandrababu.
The exhibition was visited by writer Sippi Pallippuram.
Chandrababu is currently working as an art teacher with the Global Public School.
Along with the works of students, two of his works from the ‘flying lives’ series have been exhibited at amigos. His three-year-old daughter Sivani has also contributed her works to the exhibition.
Chandrababu’s next experiment with art will be an art entourage with cancer-affected kids.
“The district has become a hub of cancer patients. Any form of art is capable of energising and strengthening their minds. We have planned to do our bit and discussions with doctors are underway,” he said.
The exhibition will conclude on Tuesday.