By Shwetha K Rao
Artists and art lovers across Bengaluru came together to celebrate freedom through art on the occasion of India’s 72nd Independence Day.
The Rangoli Metro Art Center at MG Road is hosting an art exhibition, organized by a city-based NGO called Art Matters, to mark Independence Day.
The exhibition included a live painting event outside the art gallery, which provided a platform for budding artists and art lovers in the city to showcase their skills.
The venue hosted art by an exuberant bunch of people ranging from artists, art students, children and adults from different fields who created theme-based paintings signifying their perceptions of freedom.
The center was set up with colourful paintings and unique figurines bringing patriotism to life. The classic image of Mahatma Gandhi running the charkha was created using only metal wires.
Speaking to TNM, Raghu, the founder of the NGO said that their aim was to provide a platform for students of art.
“There are many platforms for artists but very little for students of art. So, we organize events specifically for art students to give them an opportunity to develop and showcase their skills. This live painting event is open to all – for people to express their love for the nation.”
The NGO collaborated with another art institution called the Ignite School of Art which parallelly conducted a painting competition for people of all age groups. This school, founded by Shole Madhu, is a mainstream art school which teaches art as a formal subject, training various people to channelize their talent into a profession. 4
“Art has become a way of life. No matter which stream the students get into, they will need art: from medicine to engineering to film industries. We have students of all ages – from 3 and 5-year-olds to 69-year-olds,” Madhu said.
“Most people come with the notion that formal education is difficult and art is easy. But that is not the case. Art is also not easy. There is a certain amount of effort that goes into it. Therefore, we have different time periods of courses so that students can decide if they really want to study art as a subject,” she said.
Madhu told TNM that she organises several competitions like these regularly so that more and more people, especially children, come out in the open and express themselves.
“We even give them rewards such as medals and mementoes so that they are motivated and don’t stop expressing themselves,” she added.
The art gallery will be showcasing the paintings till August 19.