The mental or physical limitations have been triumphed over by a group of special needs students with autistic conditions by means of their artistic spirits. These gifted individuals have demonstrated their creativity through artworks that are currently being exhibited at the Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi.
The exhibition titled Emerged from Unknown is the fifth edition of the annual art festival organised by Hello Association of Neophyte-Students’ Association (HANS). About a100 students, primarily children and a few adults with autism from eight special schools, have participated with 120 entries at the exhibition.
The participants have depicted a wide array of subject matters, taking inspiration from their surroundings as well as history, for instance, natural sceneries, rural regions, animals and fish, sporting activities, urban towns, the war of independence 1971, human lives and others in their artworks mostly done in crayon and a few in watercolour. Though their subjects may vary; the common thread binding all paintings are simplicity and colourfulness.
A 13-year old Zarin Tasnim Mahi from Autism Welfare Foundation has illustrated two bulls, one brown and another white, their horns locked together in a fight against the backdrop of a blue sky and luscious greenery on the foreground.
Ashhab Muneem Chowdhury, a seven year old student from School for Gifted Children has played with diverse bright hues to depict a dancing peacock spreading its multi-coloured upwardly elongated feathers.
The Shaheed Minar has been portrayed by an 11-year old Kumkum Pal, a student of Ramna Buddhi Protibondhi School. Abir, a seven year old boy from Smiling Children has innocently painted two boats floating on a blue river on a bright sunny day.
Scenery of a rural area has been artistically captured in a painting by Dhrupad Asad, a 13-year old from Society for the Welfare of Autistic Children. The spirit of patriotism has been demonstrated in Nabil Erfan Sadde’s artwork.
A student of SWID Bangladesh, Sadde has drawn the national flag hoisted high into the air and dazzling in the sun. Another student of SWID Bangladesh, a 32 year-old Nurur Rahman has portrayed the countryside with huts, trees, a river in the backdrop and villagers engaged in their daily chores.
A simple yet touching depiction by Orin, a student of an organisation named Kallyani, reveals a man walking along the street holding an umbrella overhead on a rainy day. A balloon flying alone but freely in the air has been captured in a painting by Aryan, an 11-year old child from Hope Autism Centre.
Marufa Hossain, director of School of Gifted Children, told New Age that contrary to popular assumptions, autistic individuals are talented. ‘For paintings, we have to give them a context and then they are able to draw beautifully,’ Marufa Hossain said.
Began on June 22, the exhibition with New Age, bdnews and Radio Today as media partners, will remain open for everybody from 3:00 to 8:00pm till June 28.
-With New Age input
