Expressions of Young

Creative Minds

Aizawl Art Gallery & School of Fine Arts recently organized a Painting Exhibition, the second this year, at Vanapa Hall. The Exhibition showcased works of art – oil on canvas, water colours, pencil sketches, poster colours and mixed media by 22 young and budding artists(21 boys and a girl), drawn from all over the state; most of the artists were under the age of 25, the youngest being an eleven year-old boy. The themes of the paintings were varied and included among others, facets and glimpses of the traditional village life of the Mizos; sceneries and landscapes; cultural dances of the Mizos and faces and portraits of the populace. The prices of the paintings were in the range of Rs. 3000 to Rs. 10,000 and some of them were sold on the first day of the Exhibition itself.

The Governor Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) M M Lakhera who inaugurated the Exhibition marvelled at the imagination and creativity of the young minds and praised their knowledge of the different styles of art. He advised the artists to exhibit their work outside the state so that they can create a market for their work and mentioned that the Lalit Kala Akademi had agreed, in principle to showcase Mizo paintings in New Delhi very soon. This can be seen as a positive step to furthering the cause of the artists of Mizoram and in bringing forth their talent.

It is remarkable that even in the absence of an Art College in the state, the artists , some self-taught and some with a little training from the School of Fine Arts, Aizawl could express themselves in the different styles of painting so well. The six-day Exhibition had no shortage of visitors and it is worth mentioning that after 3:00 PM everyday, school-children would throng it in hordes to get a glimpse of the display of paintings. One could only, but marvel at some of the paintings.

Laltanpuia, an acknowledged painter of Mizoram, and the owner of the Aizawl Art Gallery expressed his happiness at the overwhelming response of the people to the Exhibition and said that of late, people have started adorning their homes with paintings by local artists. Aizawl Art Gallery was established in 2005 by him and since then has organized many Exhibitions, Art Workshops, Seminars and Art Fests to further the cause of art in Mizoram. The School of Fine Arts organises regular classes for learning painting and drawing and on Saturdays it holds free learning classes for young children with the support of Bal Bhavan Society of Mizoram.

A mature society is one in which art finds appreciation and it can be said that Mizo society too is on its way to being more mature – one in which art finds appeal and wins hearts.