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Painting a clear picture
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"While there are umpteen schools to teach music, dance, etc., there are only a few for fine arts. Hence, we have sent a proposal to the Government to include painting in the curriculum of music schools."
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Shielding the art.
TRADITIONAL ART forms such as music, drama, and painting, needs patronage to flourish. And artistes also have equal responsibility to adapt themselves to changing times.
This was the focal point of discussion at the one-day seminar on `Art of painting and the progress of painters' organised by the Department of Art and Culture, and Painters of K.Pudur at the Gandhi Museum in Madurai the other day.
"At a time when computers are ruling the roost even in the field of painting through graphics and designing, traditional painters are left with little scope to showcase their creativity, unless they organise exhibitions, which many painters ill-afford to do because of poverty," says Kannan, a painter.
"But, it is also imperative for these painters to have knowledge of computers, so that they can rise to the occasion.
They can do it, for they have basic knowledge of colours and their use," he says.
"While there are umpteen schools to teach music, dance, etc., there are only a few for fine arts.
Hence, we have sent a proposal to the Government to include painting in the curriculum of music schools," says N.Sulaiman, Assistant Director, Department of Art and Culture, Madurai Region.
"Just to help the aged painters living in penury, the State Government is kind enough to extend them a pension of Rs.500 per month. Further, the District Art Society, with the Collector as chairperson, in a bid to encourage painters, has taken pains to get the nod from the Government, for instituting five awards, which include awards for children and for those above 50 years of age. Each award carries Rs.2500 in cash and a certificate from the District Art Society," says Mr.Sulaiman.
"We have an exchange programme wherein our painters will visit either north India or the Andaman Islands for work and their painters would visit our places. Thereby we ensure exchange of ideas," he says.
The visiting painters stressed the need for identity cards and medical facilities. Their other demands include rail and bus concessions, reservation in educational institutions for the children of painters etc.
Later in the evening, a slide show was conducted displaying Ramayana paintings of Alagar Koil dating back to 16th century and the 17th century Uttara Kosha Mangai paintings. Other paintings, which found a place in the slide show included Ramanathapuram palace paintings, Chitra Sabhai and scenic paintings capturing Courtallam.
"Our urgent need is a suitable place for art gallery. Though we have one at present, it can hold only small gathering," says Mr.N.Sulaiman.
"We have plans to organise an exhibition on `Tourism' in Madurai next month, for which Rs.4,500 worth prizes are up for grabs," he says.
Around 100 painters participated in the seminar. Though the seminar was intended for city painters, it attracted painters from neighbouring districts of Sivaganga and Virudhunagar too.
From Saravanan T
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
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