Liberty, recognition for jailhouse art

Tihar inmates are turning out to be shining artists.

New Delhi: Pawan, a 20-year-old undertrial from Bihar, has found his calling after five in the confines of the capital`s Tihar Jail. The inmate of the men`s ward meant for convicts and undertrials between 18 and 21 is now a budding artist."My painting will be on display at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA) Aug 12," the smiling young man told reporters at his workshop inside the jail.

Pawan`s large water colour "Baby Krishna slurping cream and butter from a pot" drawn to meticulous details on paper is part of a joint three-week exhibition called Expressions, featuring 36 leading contemporary artists and 35 inmates of Tihar Jail, who have chosen art as their vocation under a rehabilitation project. More than 100 works will be on display. "`Krishna` is actually a collaborative work which three of us worked on--but I led the team," said Pawan, pointing to his co-artists Sanjay and Mehtab. Expressions, which will open Aug 12 at IGNCA, will feature big names like Rameshwar Broota, Chintan Upadhyay, Bose Krishnamachari, Riyas Komu, Jehangir Jani, TV Santosh and Tejal Shah, along with upcoming artists in Tihar Jail, Pawan, Suraj, Sanjay and Mehtab. The exhibition will be sponsored by Delhi Prisons, the NGO Ramchander Nath Foundation, and IGNCA. In their 50 ft X 30 ft workshop inside the jail, the young artists are now busy giving finishing touches to their paintings. "Every day, they assemble there from 8 am and work till 5 pm.We have designed the workshop in such a way that it allows play of natural light throughout the day and remains well-ventilated," deputy superintendent Mahavir Singh Meena, who watches over the artists at work, told reporters. The jail authorities and the foundation provide the raw material, while instructor Chaitali De from the Delhi College of Art teaches them the techniques of miniature enlargement, portraiture, acrylic painting, water colours and oil painting, along with basic art theory, history and appreciation. The artists have familiarised themselves with the latest in contemporary art through books, brochures and catalogues on art at the jail library and through interactive workshops on the premises with established artists. "I have taught them how to make graphs to draw large format figures so that they are proportionate. They like to make colourful figurative compositions rather than abstractions. I want them to master the techniques so that they can take to commercial art as career options after release," De told reporters. She visits the jail every Friday for two hours. Suraj, a young undertrial from Uttar Pradesh, is an expert calligraphist. He usually incorporates texts into the art works. Dipu, another inmate from Bihar, treats his subjects with innovation. A portrait of Mother Teresa in water colour that the inmate has drawn looks at the world with one larger-than-life eye, while a traditional Indian woman has a lotus for a head. "What`s wrong if Mother Teresa looks at the world with one big eye? I like to portray my figures differently because I think of ways to depart from tradition every time I paint," Dipu told reporters. The group is excited about the exhibition though they may not be able to see it in person. "I will show them a video recording of the exhibition," Anubhav Nath, the head of the Ramchander Nath Foundation, told reporters. "Tihar is a place where people generally do not like to go. But those who have gone there for various reasons cannot be socially, culturally and politically ostracised. My intention is to rehabilitate them through art," Nath said. He conceived the project two years ago and "the jail authorities were more than cooperative". This is the first mega exhibition that the Delhi Prisons and the Foundation are hosting to display Tihar art. "They have never exhibited before with leading names," Nath said. More than 50 NGOs are working at Tihar for the welfare of the inmates. Art is proving a great healer, said superintendent Meena. "The aggression, depression and the propensity to violence have been replaced by creative spirit. They love to paint and the colours soothe their nerves. In fact, some of them can establish themselves as artists if they get a little help after they complete their terms." Nath has managed to set up one ex-inmate as an apprentice with a leading Delhi-based contemporary artist after he was released a few months ago. IANS