Art, the new picture

I have been going to an Art school since the age of six years. It used to be every Sunday that my drawing teacher used to come to our house until my younger brother grew old enough so that we could go together to the Art school. We have grown up with only Doordarshan at home, so Sunday evenings used to be really special as there used to be a movie telecast on the channel out of the meager two movies per week. We both used to hate the intersection and so most of the time either he used to have a stomach pain or me, and if one does not go how can the other, that was a deal. But in spite of all the love for the Sunday movie we also used to love drawing, but only our way. As I grew I realized that painting is the most wonderful form of art as it is very powerful. I realized how we can convey so much by just drawing a few meaningful lines. I started realizing its beauty and gradually became more inclined towards attending regular classes. My younger brother still would have his stomach pain, but I would be off with my pastels and water colors to draw my world colorful. I used to find it initially a little painful to see my teacher’s extra concern for the measurements to be correct always. He was very specific that body parts were very carefully drawn and ample care should be taken that the legs, hands and the body were all in the proper ratio unless I was drawing a rickety child or a deformed man! He was also very particular about the eyes drawn well and should convey what I wanted the portrait to convey. Whenever I used to make a mistake in these things, with a sheepish grin I used to plea saying “Modern art, Sir.” He would take my canvas and within minutes make an exotic beautiful lady or an old farmer or a muscular blacksmith full of life and vigor. He would make his final comment “It’s very important in Art to observe carefully, perception is very important.” I stopped going to formal art school at the age of 16. Now I would be 23 soon and I still draw portraits and what I have carried along with me all these years are observant eyes and a clear perspective about things.

Undoubtedly art is about conveying what you feel, but then I wonder if my teacher was just mad to put so much of stress on accuracy as well. Does not a figure with hands, legs and face of a proper dimension convey anything? Or is it that the moment you deform them you can convey more? There seems to be an obsession for nudity in art. It used to be only women who earlier used to face this brunt, but now even Gods and Goddesses are not spared. And why not, don’t all our temples and architectural sites all have nude deities dancing or in different inviting postures. But a little disturbing it gets when nudity is accompanied with obscenity. I have been twice to very famous art exhibitions, once with my father and once with a male-friend and in both the times we decided to see the exhibition separately as walking together down the galleries was really embarrassing. Women body was deformed to the extent of vulgarity on the pretext of conveying a meaning. Yes we all are free individuals with our right to say and paint whatever way we feel like, but then are we not members of a civilized society that should be guided be a little of responsibility also? You may argue that I should not have visited those places when I knew such paintings would be on display, I would say why should not I? I have a lot of respect for this modern art form but I only don’t like when too much of liberty is taken and sentiments get hurt.

Art to me is not to hurt, but only to convey a meaning which you may not agree with but would still like to respect.

Recently I got an email showing all the paintings of M. F. Hussain which roused so much of protest. As an art lover I totally denounce such actions which cringe in the liberty of the artist. But on the flip side of it, the paintings definitely play with the religious sentiments of a few sects. I know it is the age of tolerance and it is stupid that we fight over meaningless issues instead of working towards creating a developed country, but then isn’t religion only about faith and nothing else, so if our faith is tampered with should we not make a little noise? Yes the way is wrong; I have the right to express my disagreement but keeping in mind the norms of a civilized society. So the bottom-line is that the means to be followed should be democratic and not outrageous. As Meera Devidayal, an artist in Mumbai (Frontline, June 1, 2007) puts it, “Art is sometimes created to provoke, to stimulate debate and for people to interpret in different ways. Most artists would not mind people objecting to their work, but it should be done in the right manner. There are peaceful platforms for debate and those could be used.” Period!

Disclaimer: The views are completely personal and do not intend to hurt anybody. Any peaceful debate is welcome.

Women's day

In this post I want to share what I have heard or over-heard during a casual walk on the road, or a chat with friends around Women's day.

"Hi! How have you been? Happy women's day!", one of the guys of my class wishing a girl.

"Yeh dekh na kaisa lag raha hai, ya phir yeh", two girls talking at a roadside ear-rings and sundry seller.

"Bhaiya thoda to kam karo, itni mehanga kyun de rahe ho", an aunty telling the vegetable vendor.

"Yaar yeh maal to dekh, kya cheez hai",a loafer guy on the roadside leching at a decent scared girl waiting at the bus stop.

"Pa, got a job, joining as soon I complete this semester", a friend of mine on phone to her father.

Just like that

One thing that one must not stop doing is writing! If you have a flair for writing and you stop writing either due to lack of time or of lack of matter, you keep feeling restless till a piece is written down. I had not been writing due to both the reasons, have opened up this page several times before, jotted down a few lines and then lost patience to carry on with the thought process. So today thought to defeat my restlessness and impatience by just writing down anything.

I have been regularly watching the new KBC since it's inception, though my parents do say that they used to like Bachchan doing it more than the flambouyant Khan, still they seem to adore him, as everyday quite a chunk of our discussion over the phone is on Khan. So I tend to believe that they enjoy seeing him. Moreover why won't they, he has been at his witty-best, humble-best, and smiley-best when at the show. Innocence seems to be with him all the time. Today the contestant (a strict lady school teacher from Jind, Haryana) refused to hug Khan when she wanted to quit the show, he was caught speechless for a moment, but his sharp presence of mind made him tell the lady "if you don't mind, can I give the cheque to your mother there as I am sure she would definitely want to hug me", and the crowd burst into a huge applause. I am sure most of us are bowled over by the witty and humourous Khan who has definitely added a new dimension to KBC.

And definitely my parents will keep watching it and keep comparing it with the Bachchan show until one day the old KBC gets faded by the funny memories of the new one!

The kid in me

2007 started. Another year passed by silently, have grown older by an year, childhood seems to be slipping by. I want to stick to my childhood, don't want to grow old, don't want to face the complications that age brings with itself. A friend of mine couriered me a few CD's I had asked for, and to my pleasant surprise I found a few Eclairs in the envelope. This triggered back my childhood memories. I was not keeping well emotionally since a few days so those were to lift me up. The Eclairs reminded me of a childhood experience. When I was a school going kid, every evening when my father used to come back from work, he used to ask me to find out a coin (of any denomination). I used to keep it on his palm and he used to read some magic mantras upon which that coin used to turn into an Eclair. I used to be ecstatic at the magic played by papa and used to wait anxiously everyday for him to play it again. And one day I grew up, I grew up to realise that it was no magic, just a plain haath-ki-safai.

That day I was feeling happy on having grown up and to realise that papa was fooling me all throughout, but now I don't feel happy about it any longer. I wish I could have been a naive not to realise it ever. Papa would bring me chocolates forever and I would eat them with the same excitement everyday.

But probably now my father loves it this way. He would want that I get chocolates for him, it's time for him to enjoy and me to bring joys for him. He can't be the giver always, I too need to understand my responsibilties and take command of my life.

And that's how I have started my new year with- to make myself capable of taking charge of things. However much we may hate, but we need to accept it. And yes if only we don't forget the little girl in us eagerly waiting for a chocolate magic, life will remain joyful as every little thing would be sweet enough to make us happy.

So welcome 2007 with an open mind and don't ever let the kid in you die.

Greetings

Wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year...

May God bless you with all that you ask for in the new year and remember if He does not then He has something better planned for you, so there is all the reason to celebrate life whatever be the situation!

So my message for the new year is "Just Live Life and Stay Happy"!!

"Sad Movie"

Last night I saw a Japanese (or may be Korean) movie named "Sad movie". I know the name sounds a little strange and instead of invoking sadness the first reactions were that of laughter at what the movie would possibly contain. But then as the movie carried itself, I too got carried away, started relating myself to one of the characters in the movie.

The movie started by introducing four different sets of characters and their lives. All the characters were neatly drawn and each had a message to give. One was about See and Young (names almost similar),deeply in love with each other but never been able to confess it. See works for a TV channel and she reads out news in the sign language that she has learnt from her sister who is dumb. Young works for a fire-station and perils his life everyday to save numerous lives from fire. They never propose each other, but still the love is palpable in every scene, it's intense yet unsaid! They see each other whenever possible and immensely care for each other. Before setting out of home, everyday See prays for the rains, as rains mean no fire and Young would be safe. Every time when See reads out a news of a fire somewhere, her heart sinks. The innocent and pure love they have for each other strikes an immediate chord with the viewer. You start wishing to see them settled, but some incidents do not let Young propose her. There are other characters too in the movie, but I was very influenced by this part of the story. Finally Young manages to get hold of a ring to propose her and decides to meet her that evening, but as destiny would have it, Young dies in the fire he goes to extinguish that day! Their love remained unspoken... And I cried in buckets at the last scene.

I know it is a very ordinary story, just tells us to confess our love before it gets too late. But isn't this very simple message ignored by most of us most often? Life is too short to wait for the right time to do things, if you love somebody tell her/him right away 'coz when you think would be the right time might just be too late!