The deadly October 30 blasts that claimed 88 lives in Assam have touched the heart and soul of every section and the artist community of the state are no exception.
GUWAHATI: The deadly October 30 blasts that claimed 88 lives in Assam have touched the heart and soul of every section and the artist community of the state are no exception.
"The devastating blasts have jolted our psyche, even now nearly a month after the incident we are yet to come to terms with the dastardly act and our angst have found expression on the canvas," said president of the Gauhati Artists' Guild Aminul Haque.
"Immediately after the blasts, we organised art camps in Guwahati and Kokrajhar where artists portrayed the pain, suffering and the futility of such acts of violence," he said.
Most of the canvases painted during these camps portrayed the fateful day and the mindless tragedy that the people had to undergo losing their near and dear ones.
"We want to prove to the perpetrators of such acts that Assam is a land of unique culture where people have lived harmoniously since ages and it is through the language of art and culture that peace can prevail," Haque said.
Shock, fear, disbelief and the yearning for peace was the leitmotif of the canvases with black, red, yellow and white being the predominant colours.
"People of Assam have for years suffered the pangs of insurgency and we have been giving expression to the hurt and the angry lot. The recent incident has left us shell-shocked and we picked up our brush once again to lodge a strong protest," said noted artist Neelpaban Baruah.
Another exhibition of paintings and sculptures titled 'A Thursday' (October 30 was a Thursday) by eminent artists has been put up at an art gallery here.
The exhibition has been curated by artist Wahida Ahmed.
The highlight of the exhibition is an acrylic canvas titled 'Let us Fly' portraying the story of four-year old Moromi Sarmah, the youngest victim of the blast, who along with her father lost her life in the blasts.
The painting shows a young girl looking down from the canvas against the backdrop of the Tricolor with white butterflies in the background and its poignant portrayal has moved many viewers to tears.
"The canvas moved me to tears on seeing how a young life was wasted for no fault of her or her family," said visitor Arundhuti Barua, a mother of two.
It is not only eminent artists who have been moved to express their angst on canvas but even young children participating in various art contests in the post-blast period end up drawing images of the blast.
"In all art competitions I have attended recently, I found children tend to draw about the blast and how it has affected them or other children," said noted artist and secretary of the Gauhati Artists' Guild, Kishore Das.
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