A fine arts postgraduate of Lucknow University’s College of Art, and currently working at the Lalit Kala Kendra, Lucknow (a regional centre of the Lalit Kala Academy — the National Academy of Arts, New Delhi) on a one-year scholarship, Poonam Kishor (29) has accumulated impressive accolades. In addition to winning a poster painting competition organised by the Union ministry of information and broadcasting (1998), a bronze at the Agnipath All-India Art Competition and Exhibition (2005), a ministry of culture scholarship in painting (2005-06), and the state award of the Uttar Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy (2008), she is also the inventor of Bromia-Art, a term coined by her for paintings completed without colour and brush, with just the use of chemicals and tools such as needles in a photo-grapher’s dark room.
“I’m fortunate to have been born into a creative family which encouraged my natural curiosity,” says Kishor. Her eldest brother is a photographer; the youngest, a musician and the in-between sibling the inventor of the world’s smallest spinning wheel and an air cooler made of plastic drums.
Art however was not the first medium Kishor chose to express her creativity. She began by writing poetry before she took to the fine arts for her intermediate exams. While a fine arts undergrad student at Allahabad University, she experimented with computer graphics, and even concocted a chemical solution which allowed her to paint with stay-fast water colours. While still at college, she designed book covers for front-rank Hindi language writers Mahesh Chandra Dwivedi, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar and Mamta Kalia.
Her latest project is translating the late Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s most famous work Madhushala into graphic form. Although variously interpreted, according to Kishor, this epic poem is “a metaphor for life itself”, which has inspired her to sketch 150 drawings including 20 large acrylic and ink-based canvases based on Madhu-shala. “It’s one composition which examines every conceivable human emotion. I could devote my entire life to illustrating Bachchan’s magnum and still not be done,” she says of this poetic work of art.
From her labours and particularly her involvement with Madhushala, Kishor has derived valuable philosophic insights. “To achieve your goal you have to fight for it relentlessly,” she says, and tenaciously pursues an eight hour work schedule in her studio, after which she draws for two hours every night. And all this in preparation for her maiden solo show — a fusion of art and poetry, and a personal tribute to her muse Harivansh Rai Bachchan.
Vidya Pandit (Lucknow)
Mohit Raj
Although born into a socio-economically under-privileged family, Mohit Raj (15), a class IX student of Delhi’s Evergreen Public School, is a painter prodigy whose canvases have already won him national acclaim. The son of Deepak Kumar, a class IV employee of the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi, as a child Mohit had to walk long distances to participate in exhibitions and contests, as he couldn’t afford the bus fare. “I had great confidence in Mohit’s talent and we walked those long distances together to showcase it,” recalls Kumar who got his son admitted into the private Evergreen Public School two years ago, on the strength of his artistic talent.
Mohit has been drawing, sketching and painting since the age of four. In 2006 one of his paintings was adjudged best in the Nehru Bal Samiti sponsored competition. Although poverty and limited exposure prevented him from enroling in fine arts training, summer camps or academies, Mohit developed and refined excellent self-learning techniques. “I discuss ideas with my father and mostly paint from my own imagination,” he says.
Capping his achievements was the prestigious National Bal Shree Award conferred by President Pratibha Patil in 2008. “This award is special as there is a rigorous process for selecting the winners,” he says. Moreover several of Mohit’s works have been printed on calendars and greeting cards of various Union ministries including renewable energy, health, environment, and more recently in the Commonwealth Games calendar. He also won a presidential silver medal in Shankar’s International Painting Competition (2007).
His proven talent aside, Mohit readily acknowledges that Pogo TV’s Amazing Kids Awards show which he won in 2009, gave a huge boost to his fame and reputation. “I learned about the show from a Kellog’s Chocos packet, on which the contest entry rules were indicated. I submitted a painting and was selected, after which I went to Mumbai for the shoot,” he recalls. However, he turned down an exclusive offer from Pogo channel, which wanted him to sign a three-year contract in lieu of Rs.3 lakh. Unsurprisingly Mohit is clear and confident about his future. “I will enrol in a bachelor of fine arts programme, and pursue a professional career in fine arts,” he says.
Way to go, Bro!
Autar Nehru (Delhi)