Differently-abled artists showcase their works in Bengaluru

If you saw some of the finished works of these painters, you would never guess that it was created by a differently-abled individual. However, a visit to this exhibition would have you marvel at the process that went into creating these paintings — with these handicapped artists actually working on fresh pieces.
“Whether an artist is differently-abled or not, the will to paint comes from within.So, if someone wants to paint, then nothing else matters. I have been painting for the past 15 years now,” says Jesfer Pulikkathody, a 35-year-old artist, who is 80 per cent paralysed from neck below.
Held annually in different parts of the country, this is the first time the artists meet, featuring this set of 17 artists, was held at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, in Bengaluru. “The artists are trained by us and we have exhibitions regularly. A lot of them are held at corporate offices across the country, where we also have workshops. The artists put up their work for sale at these exhibitions and the funds generated from that goes directly to the artist. In addition to this, the arists are also on a monthly retainer funded by the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (MFPA) Association. They submit their artwork to the organisation regularly, which we then use for the merchandise that we produce,” explains Rawlins Ferrerra, one of the members of the organising committee.