Twelve paintings out of 34 made by renowned artist Pramod Prakash during his 12-day art residency here were displayed at a day-long special preview at Vastu Nano Colony here on Monday

Majority of the creations of the Patna-based artist revolved around the lives of coal workers and their struggle and environmental degradation.

All the displayed art works were made by Prakash from March 27 to April 7 during the art camp. Of the 12, three paintings which highlights the daily struggle of coal workers to eke out a living have been priced at Rs 1 lakh each.

Talking to The Telegraph on the sidelines of the special preview, founder director of Dhanbad Art Fair Abhishek Kashyap said, “We will organise a special show of all the 34 paintings of Prakash at the next art fair in January.”

“The special preview was organised to inform art lovers of the coal belt about Prakash’s work during his 12-day stint,” he added.

Prakash, who was born in Bihar’s Begusarai and is an alumnus of Maharaja Siyaji Rao University in Baroda said, “Besides the three paintings, there are three more charcoal sketches on the life of tribal people priced at Rs 20,000 each.”

“I have also made three paintings on nature with focus of environmental degradation,” he added.

“The paintings on nature, which are made with acrylic, focuses on the importance of saving the earth before it is too late,” Prakash said.

“I have visited Dhanbad a number of times. The deplorable condition of coal workers, who risk their lives daily and are devoid of any social security, has moved me a lot,” he added.

The 51-year-old artist, who had participated in 40 exhibitions across the country over the years, had once fetched Rs 75,000 for a painting which depicted the appaling condition of workers from Bihar who migrated to metros for livelihood.