“The sky is a reminder that many things are possible even though they seem beyond our reach.”
– Brandon Royal
The exhibition of the selected paintings, with projections of fevered imagination by children and young artists from India and abroad, from Ramayana Art contest under the banner of ‘Khula Aasman’ is being held on 20th and 21st January 2024 at New English School, Pune. While understanding and appreciating the narrative religious paintings and the artistic and spiritual elements embedded in the artworks, one can perceive the bold, pedantically finished appearances, rustic and amateur ‘untouched’ touches, compositions augmented with folk elements like Madhubani or Worli, geometric patterns and even space divisions like in Indian miniature paintings. The key events and protagonists have been portrayed in bold outlines, intricate details, vibrant colors, and line drawings; charged up with sentimentalities and dynamism, picturesque, illustrative, candid, and expressionistic.
“Khula Aasman means open sky. We have created this platform with a passion for encouraging creative expression by children, young adults, and college students. It will also make them aware of the opportunities and possibilities in the new world. As the name suggests, it will not have any limits or boundaries. We urge you to explore the infinite journey, enrich yourself, and benefit from it. The world of Khula Aasman is not only open and limitless; it is ever expanding as can be seen from our journey ever since we began in 2016.”
The power-packed painting of a 6-year-old child is not any less than a mature one. There is simplicity- one of the cardinal virtues in compositions and the form of mystical notions. They may simplify multifaceted religious scenes, centering on the vital elements that reverberate with them. Painting loaded with literary and sentimental ideas embodies a sense of purity and sincerity, grace and buoyancy, unburdened by complex theological considerations. They carry a genuine emotional connection to the subject matter, expressing feelings of love, devotion, or awe while exploring different perspectives and arrangements intuitively. Artists have depicted the valor of Lord Rama, the devotion of Hanuman, the mother’s love with Luv and Kush, and the bond among brothers- capturing the epic’s characters, a scene, an incident, and even an overall gist and moral lessons. The leitmotifs painted include Triumph of Good over Evil, Our Pride Ramayana at a Glance, Kaushalya ki aankhon ke taare, Raja Dashrath Parivar, Devi Ahilya Udhhar, Beauty of Sita, Rama Breaking Arrow to marry Sita, Sita Swayamvar, Kewat washing feet of Rama, Rama crossing the river Ganga during Vanvas, Aranya Kaand, Ram-Sita-Lakshman, Rama and Bharatha Milaap, Devastated Bharat, Surupnakha’s fateful day, The desire of golden deer, Lakshamana Rekha, Panchvati Sita Haran, Jatayu, Shabari giving berries to Lord Rama, Lord Ram embracing Hanuman ji, Sita meditating in Ashoka Vatika, Hanjumanji giving ring of Rama to Sita, Lanka Dahan, Ram Setu, Lord Rama sacrificing his lotus eye to Devi Durga, Hanuman carrying Sanjeevani, Kumbhakarna, Ravan vadh, Hanuman tearing his chest open, Agnipriksha of Sita, Dusshera, Rise of Dharma and even Ram Mandir. The e-book of the Ramayana contest includes the compilation of selected 121 artworks.
“Every momentous episode that led to emotional epochs and an event that will prove to be a resonant legacy in the immediate future in the aesthetic space- one such persona was Milind Vishwas Sathe whose seminal efforts with ‘Khula Aasman’ and assiduous focus on nurturing art and thought leadership in conjunction and partnering with several institutions to pedestalize art and culture practices of substance. Towards this end, www.indiaart.com has made a substantial imprint with online initiatives and establishing an art gallery in Pune, India. It is now a repository of cultural pluralism and mints holding a sizeable collection of paintings by children from all over to celebrate and coincide with the eponymous Ramayana and the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, come January 2024, a worthy contribution to the noble cause of art development by children from tribal hinterlands of India. In a compendium of Ramayana theme focussed artworks, ‘Khula Aasman’ takes pride in announcing the publication of the book of this collective as a part of the Ram Mandir and an ode to Lord Shree Ram.”- says Kiran Bagade- Art Historian, Collector, and Critique who has proudly associated with Art India Foundation and Khula Aasman management as a well-wisher and communications cheerleader.
One can connect with the symbols and iconography used to convey specific meanings and symbolic significance as per the mythology. These paintings are a personal pictorial language of a common theme, an insight into the narrative structure and the artist’s intended emphasis, reflecting a familiarity with the stories, parables, or events illustrated. The same themes have been painted in numerous styles and expressions- a unique interpretation of each artist, the multifaceted nature of Hindu mythology and spirituality providing viewers with a diverse and rich visual experience.
Spirituality and religion have played a profound role in determining art throughout history, not just a visual representation of deities and rituals but often serve as a means of expressing philosophical conceptions, apprehending the quintessence of spirituality, and conveying the interconnect of the two parallels- physical and celestial worlds. Every aspect of a divinity’s iconography, including its pose, traits, animals, or entities allied with them, holds an emblematic connotation- a mythical heart seeking its essence. These symbols are not just artistic superfluities but encapsulate the opulent tapestry of spirituality, conveying transcendent and ethical perceptions.
“Milind Sathe, the founder of Khula Aasman, organized a painting competition based on the life of Lord Shree Ram, at the same time as the Bhoomi poojan program of the Ram Temple was going on (August 2020) with overwhelming response. Such a great coincidence that today, the remarkable artwork collection ‘Ramayan by Khula Aasman’ is getting published at the same time as the here Ram idol goes live in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple Ayodhya…Most importantly the children have ‘visualized’ the Ramayana they have heard, read or understood to express their feelings through lines, shapes and colors spontaneously.”- Vasudev Kamath
This project of harmonious collaboration by Khula Aasman, Art India Foundation, and India art has been blessed by Govind Dev Giri ji Maharaj- Treasurer, Ram Janmabhumi Tirthakshetra and Founder, Maharshi Vedvyas Pratishthan. The venture is supported by Dr. Sunil and Archana Sathe- Cardiologists; Parimal and Pramod- Chaudhari Foundation; Finolex Industries Ltd; Jnana Prabodhini, Solapur; and Pravin Mane- Sonai Doodh.
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Alka is an artist and art writer with a diverse career spanning teaching, e-learning projects with the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), and editorial work. An alum of the Government College of Art, Chandigarh (BFA) and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (MFA, PhD), she has been recognised with numerous prestigious awards and honours.
