Kolkata :

Autism has put a poser on his abilities to communicate, but it could not limit his imagination. Avishek Sarkar, an autistic youth, has made a splash in the art world with his extraordinary paintings.

While people with autism often do not understand or recognize human emotions, Avishek (22) is able to convey the story of his life and interpret his sentiments, an ability that fascinated the visitors.

An exhibition of his artwork, titled “Asadharon”, which was organized by the Autism Society West Bengal in association with ITC Sonar, took chief guest Wasim Kapoor by surprise on Thursday.

“The paintings are simply out of the ordinary. Avishek is so talented,” said Kapoor. Avishek’s guides, including secretary of the Autism Society West Bengal Indrani Basu, said, “His works give a different perception on persons with autism. Avishek, just like other individuals with autism, has a penchant for details as his sketch of the Howrah Bridge reveals.”

“The sense of accuracy, proportion and perspective in Avishek’s drawings, as well as the detailing, is amazing,” said another painter present at the exhibition.

With Avishek’s artwork that were aimed at giving people a deeper understanding of autism, the event served as an open door to the mysterious world of autistic children.

His mother Soma said, “There is a meaning behind each of the artwork. He has painted motor pumps, the sound of which troubles him, and the rickshaw, the bumpy rides of which he loathes.”

Avishek never asks for paper and uses whatever he can lay his hands on to — like a newspaper or some scarps lying around. He not only paints what bothers him but also things such as lines of a block of flats or a collapsible gate which intrigue him.

“When Avishek was little, I thought he could learn to draw and paint pretty landscapes or portraits. But, he did not keep himself limited to that and delved on experimentations instead,” said Soma.

As an autistic youth, it has been hard for Avishek to express himself through words, gestures and actions. He began doing art as therapy, but his parents decided to put the works for public view.

These days, Avishek is more inclined to make an eye contact than ever and his social skills have also improved. “Avishek has a natural understanding of colours. As his paintings demonstrate, disability is no barrier to creativity,” said Kapoor. Atul Bhalla, GM of ITC Sonar, said, “We are happy to be able to host this exhibition .”

German deputy consul-general Rosemarie E-Hille, who was present at the show, found Avishek’s creations to be “awe-inspiring”.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Ajanta Chakraborty, TNN / April 06th, 2015