The Artist as a Child

Looking at art from a child’s perspective is not always easy. But that’s what this exhibition does. ‘Every child is an Artist’ – a collection of works by 36 artists,with paintings by a toddler as well a middle-aged artist,captures the innocence and dreams of childhood. One work sees a little girl busy with a game of snakes and ladders,another shows a toddler playing with birds. “The idea is to bring out the child in all of us and inspire the artist in children,” says 32-year-old painter Gurdeep Sharma,as he takes us around. Many of the 76 frames are live scenes — an ice-cream stall,children on a seesaw and a family going on vacation. “The painters have projected their own artistic memories and context. While someone has depicted freedom through kites,others have showcased their love for music through the piano,” says Sharma. Yet others have chosen to make their statements through animals and birds —- ducks creating ripples on Sukhna Lake,a cat looking out from a half-closed door,a dog on the foothills of the Shivalik range and so on. Also on display are landscapes,with a similar emphasis on soft,diffused light,hazily outlined objects,muted tones and shadows. “They are representative of an inherent calm in us,” chips in professor Sanjit Sodhi,one of the artists.