Renowned painter Pramod Prakash is in coal town to help art lovers understand and appreciate the nuances of paintings, sculptures and installations.

The Begusarai-born painter, who specialises in water colour and acrylic, is here for a week-long artist residency organised by India Telling, a local outfit, to promote different forms of visual arts, including painting, ceramics, sculpture, design, crafts, photography and architecture especially among the youth.

During the residency, which began at Kusum Vihar-based Vastu Nano Complex on Tuesday, Prakash will make a number of paintings themed on the pitiable condition of coal mine workers. The creations will be exhibited on April 3, the last day of the residency.

“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. I will make a few paintings on their condition during the residency,” Prakash, a Master of Fine Arts from Maharaja Sayajirao Rao University of Baroda, told The Telegraph.

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 appalling condition of workers from Bihar who migrated to metros for livelihood.

“I love creative painting with water colour. I hope some of my paintings will be sold on the last day of the residency. Such events help promote fine arts,” Prakash added.

“A lot of Prakash’s art works display the sufferings of Bihar labourers who migrated to different metros for livelihood and undergo unspeakable humiliation at their workplace due to their place of origin,” Dhanbad Art Fair director Abhishek Kashyap said.

“The idea behind organising the residency came to our minds after holding the fair at the zilla parishad ground from January 7 to 10 during which 500 paintings by 50 prominent artists from across the country, including those made by Prakash, were displayed at nine counters,” he added.

According to the organisers, some of paintings, which he will make during the residency, will be sold at the art fair scheduled in January 2020.

“People’s growing interest in paintings, installations and sculptures displayed during the fair prompted us to organise the artist residency. We invited Prakash and provided him a fellowship of Rs 51,000 with the help of financers like builders Rama Sinha and Shyam Pandey,” he added.

“Unlike exhibitions where paintings and installations are displayed, the residency offers art lovers the option of seeing how a painting or a sculpture is made. People can also interact with Prakash and learn the nuances of paintings. I am sure art lovers here will benefit a lot by interacting with him,” Kashyap added.