National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Rays Of Hope

Prominent artists portray the problems of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS in South Asia

By NIRAJ POUDYAL

There is a square in one of the paintings displayed at the British Council's courtyard in Lainchaur. Two groups of fish are depicted on two sides of the square. One represents the dominant classes, which are socially and economically strong. The group of fleshless fish on the other side portrays those who are HIV-positive.

Sri Lankan art

This is a scene prominent artist A.S. Chitrak has splashed over his canvas. He arrived in Kathmandu with his colleagues K.L. Rangeen, Subroto Kundu, Nand Katyal, Niladari Paul, Seema Verma, Shamshad Hussain, Gopi Gajwani, Pradip Dhawan, Upender and Sabia to carry forward the gypsy exhibition.

The United Nations International Drug Control Program, Regional Office for South Asia (UNDCP/ROSA), brought together these well-known artists and their paintings to raise awareness of substance abuse, especially among young adults and adolescents, and HIV/AIDS. This was the theme of this year's International Day Against Drug Abuse (June 16).

The British Council in cooperation with UNDCP put up an exhibition of paintings in council's courtyard at Lainchaur from September 24-25, 2002. A daylong workshop sponsored by Radiant Graphics and Charms Cards was held on April 8, 2002, where the works included in the demonstration were given final artistic strokes.

The paintings portrayed the perils of drug abuse and its effects on HIV/AIDS, the sentiments of the HIV patients and their soul, among other things. The painting titled "Ecstasy and Agony" demonstrate two contrasting ways of attaining ecstasy - either by becoming the master of one's subject or by becoming the slave of one's object.

Nepalese art

Gopi Gajwani's painting depict a suicidal sea of self-destruction in which millions of people are slowly tripping into, without comprehending the pitiable end they are heading to. She presents devils in her canvas with dark colors. K.L. Rangeen's "For use, not abuse" calls for the use of drugs as life-saving substances, not as life-taking ones.

The works on display also convey messages of hope for victims and represented the beauty of life. Niladari Paul's "The Ray of Hope" makes perfect use of colors symbolizing aspiration, hope, trust, confidence and optimism. Sabia tries to tell spectators that life is positive and beautiful and should be lived as such. Upender's work depict the glorified love of life.

Colin Earley, assistant director of the British Council, gave the welcome speech at the opening ceremony. Henning Karcher, resident coordinator of the UN system in Nepal explored about the peculiarities of the paintings on display and the grave state of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS in South Asia. Renate Ehmer, regional representative, UNDCP/ROSA, and Deepak Gupta, an adviser to the regional office, were also present.

The organizers plan to take the paintings on a tour of India and some other South Asian countries as a gypsy exhibition. They say they expect the works to draw the attention of elected leaders, policy makers, media and the people to the link between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS.