Manu Singh
catloges
Self-taught graphics artist wins state award
G.S. Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, August 17
Here, computer mouse was the ‘tool’ and its monitor was the ‘canvas’, the rest was his own conception, which got him to share the dais with other renowned artistes chosen for this year’s state honours.
Meet Amritsar-based Mandeep Singh Manu, who was conferred the “Praman Patra” award at a state-level function held at Ferozepur, on the occasion of the Independence Day celebrations this year.
The government awarded 25 personalities of Punjab in different categories during the function.
Manu bagged this award in the category of visual art. He was presented with a certificate, a medal, a shawl and a cash award of Rs 11,000 by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Presently working at Cambridge International School as graphics art teacher, Manu has been suffering from Cerebral Palsy from his lower limbs since birth.
Nonetheless, the physical-disability was no limitation for the 29-year-old. This self-taught computer graphics artist, indeed, stands tall in the crowd and has earned himself a name among the noted artists of the holy city.
While talking to The Tribune, Manu said after coming across an advertisement asking applications for “overall contribution in art”, he though himself to be eligible. “I never dreamt that I would be chosen for the award. Though I had full confidence in me which I earned by winning various national or international competitions in art,” he said.
It all started by chance when he opted to learn accounts on the computer. Then, he realised that computer graphic software can be put to use in a better way to project one’s feelings.
“Every picture speaks for itself, I believe. You just need to feel it. Once you get deep into a picture, a spiritual feel which overcomes you,” he said.
Manu, a graduate in history from IGNOU, has been felicitated with a number of awards.
His work was included during the International Touring Collection art exhibition in Common Ground 2008, which was organised at Haun Tie Art Museum, Beijing, during Olympics. This exhibition toured around 20 countries.
An year ago, he participated in Visual Aid’s “get out of jail free” art exhibition at the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Gallery in the San Francisco, 9th Tehran International Poster Biennial 2007 at Iran, besides 20th All India Art Exhibition 2007 at Lokemanya Tilak Smarak Mandir, Pune and group exhibition Young Call held at Bharat Bhawan, Bhopal 2007.
He won an award in the 70th All India Exhibition of Fine Arts, in the 2nd Annual Indian Royal Academy Awards - 2005 at Gulbarga in Karnataka and also got the Vocational Award in 2004 from Rotary Club (Amritsar).