No hands, no limits: When resilience, determination give birth to an artist

Time of India

21-04-2025

Chandigarh: "Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision," said Stevie Wonder, an American-Ghanaian singer-songwriter and musician. In the same spirit, the absence of hands doesn't mean the absence of creativity or the power to paint.
Defying all odds and expectations,
Rehnuma Rani
, an artist with only one hand — partially functional, has transformed resilience into remarkable art. Using only her feet, she created a stunning masterpiece that now proudly hangs at the
58th Annual Art Exhibition
being organised by Government College of Arts, Sector 10, till April 15. Her work stands as a powerful symbol of determination and artistic brilliance, earning admiration from visitors and fellow artists alike.
'ART IS MY LIFE'
"Art is my life — I can't imagine doing anything without it," says Rehnuma, a first-year MFA student, her eyes lighting up as she speaks about her latest creation, '
Mysterious Mushroom Valley
'.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
Rendered in oil on canvas, the painting is a surreal, almost haunting landscape inspired by an ordinary moment on campus. "One day, I spotted mushrooms growing near the college grounds. To me, they looked like tiny umbrellas — strange, hidden worlds underneath them. That's where the idea came from," she shares.
An avid fan of horror films, Rehnuma infused her love for the eerie into the canvas. "I imagined what it would look like if those mushrooms weren't just plants — but portals to something more mysterious," she adds.
The painting took a week to complete, though not without its challenges. Due to physical limitations, Rehnuma finds it difficult to sit for long hours. "In one sitting, I can paint for three to four hours max. Beyond that, it gets too painful," she says — yet her passion keeps her going.
Her love for art traces back to a childhood moment of triumph. "I made my first painting in class 5 — it was a rose, for a school competition. I won a prize for it, and that was the spark. I knew I wanted to keep creating."
Another painting titled 'Kumbh Shana' made by Arjun Kamboj, who is hearing and speech impaired, and is a student of BFA 4th year from graphics department, captured the eyes of the visitors.
'OVER 3,000 ARTWORKS DISPLAYED'
While talking to TOI, Prof Anand Shende said: "We don't categorise students based on their disabilities — it's their work that speaks for them." They undergo four years of comprehensive education just like any other student, he said.
Speaking about the annual exhibition, he shared that the event showcases artworks from students across all departments. "This year, we've displayed over 3,000 artworks created by around 350 students," he added.
GRACE IN MOTION
Artist Prerna Puri's latest work, titled 'Shivaya Sangama', is a striking visual symphony of devotion, balance, and mysticism — rendered through the intricate medium of etching on zinc plate.
Taking nearly a month to complete, Shivaya Sangama offers a rare and graceful portrayal of Gauri Tandav — a softer counterpart to the fierce Rudra Tandav usually seen in depictions of divine dance. In the foreground, Mata Gauri and Mahadev are shown dancing in perfect harmony, while the background reveals the Ardhanarishvara — the symbolic union of masculine and feminine energies.
One particularly captivating detail lies in the eyes of the Ardhanarishvara figure: "The eye on the Shiva side is brown, while the eye on the Gauri side is blue," Prerna points out. "This represents the belief that a person's emotions — especially love and attraction — can be read through their eyes."
DISTORTION IN PORTRAITURE
Ekamjot, a BFA fourth-year student from the printmaking department, presents a thought-provoking work in the medium of woodcut. He explains that printmaking is all about creating multiple impressions from a single surface — whether it's wood, metal, or stone. In this particular piece, he has chosen wood and used the technique of stippling, which involves the delicate and time-consuming process of creating intricate textures through countless tiny dots. This is a departure from the traditional bold cuts associated with woodcut prints. The concept revolves around distortion in portraiture — from a distance, the portrait appears to have unusually large, wide eyes, playing with perception and visual interpretation.
'HUNGER FOR GREED'
Ajay, a first-year MFA student, uses acrylics to paint a hard-hitting narrative titled 'Hunger for Greed'. The artwork delivers a powerful commentary on human exploitation of nature. The hawks soaring above symbolise greedy contractors who auction off forests for short-term profit. These hawks, clad in human attire, represent powerful profiteers suffocating nature to build concrete empire. They tear the forest apart devouring it piece by piece, a chaos depicted through threads unravelling from the canvas, symbolising the forest's disintegration, states the didactic panel.