NIFA’S Art For Soul will showcase works by underprivileged students. The curator chats with D Mago
Though it is a replica of Mona lisa, originally done by leonardo da Vinci, what strikingly sets this art piece apart is the use of bright colours. This Mona lisa, created by budding artist Jyothika Pola, is more vibrant than the original one. Perhaps, it is the output of Pola’s drive for colours in her life who dubbed the original artwork “dull”. The young artist, who cannot speak or hear, will be showing more colourful works at the forthcoming exhibition organised by National Institute of Fine Arts (NIFA).
For her painting she has used acrylic colours. It shows lisa’s portrait with a yellow background surrounded by brick designs. The colour combination is very warm and careful attention is paid to maintain the divisions. “I imagine the Mona lisa of contemporary times to be very colourful. I wanted to paint her in a way that no one has ever done before. She has a pretty face and an appealing smile,” describes Jyothika.
Each budding artist has contributed three works to the exhibition that starts on May 23. As part of their course curriculum, the move is devised to train students in not only art but also marketing. “Apart from endowing them with aesthetic knowledge, we also teach our pupils the mechanics of the latest designing softwares like Corel, Photoshop and Illustrator. There is a demand for artists in different teaching institutes as well as ad agencies. After they are done with their courses, we help them in finding jobs or working as a freelancer,” says Renu Khera, the curator of this exhibition. Ashima, another participant, studied mathematics and later moved to art.
In one of her works titled Inner Peace, she attempts to depict the dynamics of a human mind. On a 3X4 ft canvas, dark colours have been used to show the negative thought process that prevails. A monk is standing tall amidst negative energy, trying to meditate despite a depressing and gloomy voice trying to disrupt his concentration.
The dark colours convey strong and counteractive emotions, while there is also a concentric-circle of light that shows the monk successfully attaining inner peace.
The white shade of light illustrates calmness and serenity that seems to be gradually covering the monk’s mind. “I am a very positive person and I wanted to show that the path to real happiness begins from the discovery of self. Every aspect has a positive and a negative energy, and in order to be happy one must focus on the positive side,” says the artist. NIFA has also been supporting many underprivileged students who want to excel in creative field.