other, a giggling car with an antennae has all modern amenities and is painted in all possible shades. Same for the grinning cow! The ice cream (sundae) is enticingly colourful with a cherry on top.
These are some of the colourful paintings made by children of Umang - a Jaipur-based rehabilitation centre and home for special children suffering from cerebral palsy, autism, mental challenges and other neurological conditions.
The colours that impressed Bill Gates so much that he thanked them back when he received two of such paintings through Bina Kak, former minister for tourism and forests.
The `Swiss' touch
And Delhi saw an exhibition of these vibrant paintings as Umang in association with Gallery 302, brought them here. The exhibition is curated by Swiss national Madeleine Binzegger for whom India is like a "second home" since she first came here 11 years ago. Madeleine conducts a painting workshop every year. At the gallery around 25 of Umang's students were brought to see their group exhibition inaugurated by the Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Some of these youngsters aged between 11 and 25, were clearly bewildered at the larger than life character in the gallery.
They grinned only when someone asked them, `which is your painting'? While some were seen calling every entrant to the gallery, seeking a handshake! Those habitual of page three environs left as the stars were young adults.
When Madeleine started teaching them how to hold the brush, they started rubbing it on the paper.
"So I taught them strokes. I started with objects they can identify with like balloons, umbrella and introduced them to various colours they could use. But most of them have used colours as per their imagination. They love bright colours and their memory is sharp. They met my dog Kaali four years ago and made great friends with her. Many of them have painted Kaali. It is very touching for me," says wheelchair bound, Madeleine. Uma Nair, who paired, framed and co-curated the exhibition says, "The most important thing about all works is that there is no feeling of sadness or loneliness in them. It sensitises many so-called abled persons who find so much grief in life."
Deepak Kalra, a trained professional with Umang, draws one's attention to a complete family atmosphere that these works have.
"None of them draw any object in isolation. A dog has to be with a boy and other animal to have company. They always want to complete the family within their works."
The exhibition is on view till October 14.
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