Chennai: Exhibition to showcase skills of young artists with special needs

CHENNAI: V-Excel Educational Trust, a Chennai-based non-profit organisation, is organising an art and photography exhibition called Tattva on October 26. The third edition of Tattva is themed ‘The Five Elements of Nature’ and will showcase curated artworks by 128 artists with special needs, aged 7 to 35, from across Tamil Nadu.

“The third edition of Tattva is a collaboration with 11 special schools in Tamil Nadu, aiming to provide an inclusive platform for artists with special needs. The exhibits, inspired by the five elements of nature, will offer an immersive experience for art lovers, exploring the essence of earth, water, fire, air, and space, and their interactions with human energy and the universe,” says Gayathri Suryanarayanan, event coordinator at V-Excel.

Through this one-day event, held from 11 am to 8 pm at the Alliance Francaise, Nungambakkam, the organisers aim to raise awareness about the incredible abilities of these artists to express themselves through art and photography. “Events like this help boost their confidence and promote self-reliance, allowing them to create sustainable livelihoods and live fulfilling lives,” she adds.

Fifteen-year-old Praveen, a slow learner at Jayam Special School, is extremely happy about exhibiting his artwork at the exhibition. Another participating artist, Roshan, who has an intellectual disability, has been showcasing his work for two years and has even won prizes. “This has motivated me to explore my skills. This year, I am going to take my tenth board exam. Art has boosted my confidence and brought me a lot of happiness,” Roshan tells DT Next.

Twelve-year-old Sujithra, who began drawing at age eight, also shares her passion. “I paint whenever I have time - painting makes me happy and gives me confidence. I have received prizes for my paintings. Art has improved my memory and has also helped me with my studies,” says Sujithra, a student at Anandam Special School.