A collection of paintings created by visual and hearing impaired artists aims to democratise art

Art knows no boundaries or language, and Silent Hues, an exhibition of paintings done by visual and hearing impaired artists, the current show at Kalarasa, exemplifies that. Foundation of Art and Culture for Deaf (FACD) has tied up with the art gallery to provide these artists a platform to showcase their works.

For owner-director Bharath Kumar, meeting the artists was nothing short of a revelation. "FACD approached me about a month ago and one hearing-impaired artist, Umesh, indicated to me if I was interested in doing this show. I assured him with a thumbs-up sign and he was really happy." Later that day, Kumar received a detailed email from Umesh with the bios of all artists interested in showcasing their works, to which the owner just couldn't say no. The exhibition has works made by artists from Karnataka, Chennai, Rajasthan, Bhubaneshwar, Kolhapur and Noida, and are inspired by nature, landscapes, wildlife, people and other assorted themes.

Kumar was moved to tears when he first saw the paintings, and claims no one can point out the difference between them and ones made by people who aren't physically impaired. He recalls a meeting with one artist, Savithri N, a Canara bank employee from Mysore, who painted a piece 20 years ago and never sold it. "That painting won the Canara Bank award. She refused to sell it but chose to showcase it here." There are other paintings which depict the changing times very emphatically, and are conveyed with the rich use of colours. "I am really happy with this collection. This proves that art is definitely for everyone."

Sorce: Bangalore Mirror