Blind people can paint as this art exhibition in Hyderabad proves

Art knows no boundaries or barriers as 16 visually impaired artists are out to prove at an exhibition in Hyderabad.

The L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad is organisng an exhibition on 4 June that will break all stereotypical notions about art. The exhibition will showcase 20 tactile paintings created by visually impaired people who have used the sense of touch to create some unique works.

The exhibition is the culmination of a special workshop held in May this year where the painters were taught how to use tactile mediums like threads, shells, etc to express their creative sides. They met again, this time to create their own works with volunteers guiding them.

The main medium they have used is aluminium foil as it can be twisted into desirable shapes. These were then coloured in different shades, giving form to something truly unique and imaginative.

One of the 16 painters is S. Pallavi, who has named her art You and I. This is a painting of a flower and a butterfly that co-exist and enhance the beauty of each other. “I am super excited to be a part of this project. In fact I have decided to continue making tactile paintings as a hobby, she says.

Then there Shiva Reddy, who has dedicated his painting to nature. Shiva says he had never tried his hand at painting before this and was wonderfully surprised with the joy it brought. “This is the first time that I painted in my life and it felt amazing. I am happy that I was able to express my thoughts for others to feel and see.

Chetna Punjabi, a student, is eager to see how visitors react to her painting called The Night BeautyIt was easy to give shape to the foil and the process was very interesting. I enjoyed coloring the painting that has swans, stars, lotus and the shades of night sky.

The project is the brainchild of Aishwarya Pillai , a Rehabilitation Counsellor at the Hyderabad institute. Aishwarya was an avid painter who lost her vision late in life. She had given up on the idea of picking up a brush again until a workshop reignited her love for art. She is now determined to bring that experience to more visually impaired people.

When I attended an exhibition with 2D paintings, I realised the shortage of tactile art and the lack of awareness about it. I decided to do something. The workshop and training in tactile art was a huge success and the paintings came out amazing. We decided that everyone should be able to look at the extraordinary efforts of the participants. – Aishwarya Pillai, Rehabilitation Counselor , L V Prasad eye institute

Aishwarya is now determined to dedicate her efforts to making the process of creating art an inclusive one.

GETTING THERE: Interested visitors can attend the exhibition on 4 June from 11 AM to 4 PM at L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad. The venue has ramps for visitors using mobility devices and there will be volunteers to guide you For more details, you can visit www.lvpei.org, or mail to aishwarya3711@gmail.com.

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