[ Nellie N Manpoong ]
ITANAGAR, Dec 01: If art could speak, it would tell a thousand stories of its creator in a multitude of colours; some in black and white and some in shapes the ordinary mind would fail to comprehend.
The “Art Inside” group art exhibition, currently underway at Hotel Pybss from December 1 to 3, by the Arunachal Akademi of Fine Arts (AAFA) is the perfect setting for art aficionados to admire variants of art forms of 13 artists from across the state.
From sketching, etching and sculpting to the familiar art of painting with acrylic and water colours; the art exhibition is an attempt to breathe lives into fine and visual arts, which have been neglected even with various indigenous people actively participating in creating them.
Clever cartoonist, Jene Hai not only showcased one of his comical and political strips on a large canvas, but also gave others a glimpse into his traditional painting style in acrylic.
Artists like Taya Vivek, Joon Dulom, Tilling Asha, Gyamar Nanam, Matu Mara, Kenjum Angu, Judi Bagang, Jackie Bodo and Raju Pudur made their art speak for themselves as people gathered to admire the unique work of each artist.
Some of the most intriguing works were of Ogin Nayam and Kompi Riba.
Ogin’s paintings sat silent and yet tugged at your heartstrings. They spoke stories from within the frames and gave a beautiful insight into the artist’s mind.
His painting, named “My Husband’s Wife”, was a take on the polygamist society, where the fine lines and wave of curves separated the two women connected by one common element.
“The Night Sky” and “Son of Shadow” had different stories to them, but highlighted the overpowering nature of darkness.
Kompi’s etches were on the next level. She says that her seven-piece artwork, which took her around four to five months to complete, is about “uncertainty”.
Her ideas behind the etchings may seem difficult to grasp, or could even be misunderstood. But she perfectly explained how the tiny red mark in her abstract cloud of uncertainties, represents her moving on, like everyone else.
Graphic artist, Jompi Ete also had adorable merchandise for sale at the exhibition. Her creative side combined with the traditional, made for a fun way to admire art and wear it.
Art admirers have already booked some of the best artwork of most of the artists, but they will be kept on display till the end of the exhibition till December 3.
Earlier, Itanagar Capital Complex Deputy Commissioner Prince Dhawan inaugurated the exhibition.
Lauding the effort of the organizers, the DC stressed that Arunachal has ample talent in every field and such programmes give a platform to showcase talents. He further stressed that the talent was visible in the vibrancy of work that could be seen in the paintings. He also encouraged the society to organise plays and promote theatre – something that is currently missing in the state. He assured to provide full support from the District Administration for such initiatives.
When asked by someone for the establishment of an Art school and theatre school, Dhawan said that it would be a good idea to have such schools as it is evident from the works here at the exhibition that people have a lot of passion in this field.
