‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.’
- Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso, renowned artist, quoted these wise words, which could not have been truer. Children, open-minded, bring new ideas to the world, new ways of looking at things, that otherwise wouldn’t have existed. These thoughts get muffled as they grow older, for there are older, supposedly wiser influences, who teach one proper way of looking at things.
I recently attended a camp in the theatre/auditorium Ranga Shankara. It lasted for barely six days, and only two hours daily, that too. But I can’t deny that I haven’t learnt anything new. It was titled ‘Dreams and Drama’ and well-known director, Padmavati Rao, alias Pinty Akka, was our instructor.
The first day started out with a slight case of jitters. But we started getting comfortable when we got the chance to walk around, greet random people, and shout out our names loudly with ‘full josh’! We were partnered that day, and had to enact our own stories of times when we didn’t get what we wanted.
Sadly, all the feedback my partner and I received was not necessarily that great. On the other hand, I learned the sense of acute observation the audience carried.
We decided to explore the ‘Magic in me’ through writing and questioning. What is it that makes me special? Why can I do the things I can? How do I bring it out more?
The last question was answered. We used theatre as a medium to express our dreams, our desires.
The final play my group (we had to work in groups of 5), was pretty crazy. Two monkeys wanting to go to space got their dream by drinking Redbull that was dropped by a drunken astronaut in space. In the end, it turned out to be more like an ad for Redbull. However, it definitely brought out the ‘Magic in us’.
The play may have been completely irrelevant, but to come up with an idea like that is not done by mere Muggles. (Non-magic people)
I know I certainly could not have thought of a wacky idea like that on my own!
When Pablo Picasso talked of artists, he didn’t just mean the brushing, painting one. He meant the writing, singing, dancing, swimming, playing ones. Pretty much, EVERYONE.
And though, you may be an adult, you never stop growing up, so it’s never too late to grasp the artist in you!
