A 13-year-old boy with autism who enjoyed dabbling with colours since childhood now has his paintings on display in a gallery.
Soham Das’s work caught the attention of a curator who decided to offer exhibition space to the teenager, not because he has autism but because he saw “new talent”.
The three-day exhibition has been extended till June 5 because of the response it has received, said the curator.
Like many children of his age, Soham would use his hands to apply colour on paper.
“One of my friends told me he was good at it but I did not give it much attention. I was happy colours could keep him engaged for half an hour at a stretch. That was a relief for me,” said Sunanda Singha Das, his mother.
Soham had been diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Singha Das said. He has limited speech.
Paintings by Soham Das on display at Art Frequencies on Park Street.
Soham’s doctor, neuropsychiatrist Amit Ranjan Biswas, had posted his paintings on social media.
“Curator Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya saw the paintings and approached us. He said we should give him a canvas to paint and we did. Eight months later, my son’s art is being displayed in an exhibition,” said Singha Das.
Voices of Colour has been presented by Biswas. The exhibition has been designed by Bhattacharya at Art Frequencies, Park Street.
The doctor writes introducing Soham in the exhibition: “Despite his (Soham’s) so-called ‘disabilities’, he has been continually painting with passionate rigour for last few years but without any formal training. His most loving and inspiring parents nurtured his talent all throughout while facing a multitude of hardships from every corner including social stigma, neglect and rejection.”
Curator Bhattacharya said: “Soham has shown promise. He knows how to use colours. We have given him a space and opportunity because we see in him new talent.”
Veteran artists like Jogen Chowdhury, Samir Aich have visited the exhibition.
The accolades or the appreciation have not come easy, said his mother.
“There is stigma associated with special needs. As a mother I have faced ostracisation, too. Today, I feel rewarded,” said Singha Das.
While there have been people who have stigmatised them, there have been others who have helped.
“A teacher at Visva-Bharati had told me I should not put my son under any formal training because it would spoil his natural talent,” said Singha Das.
A routine Soham’s parents followed was taking him to a stationery store and letting him choose colours.
His parents would give him brushes, spoons, sponges or even make-up brushes to paint with.
“The recognition of his abilities means much to us,” said father Kuntal Das, who works with Kolkata police.
“To all parents who have special needs children I can say that each child has a talent. We have to give time to discover and recognise it,” said Singha Das.