Painters feeling the heat of machines
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 21 2011: The advent of machine made pictures for publicity has given a serious impact on the livelihood of the artistes who used to live through hand painting.

There was a time when the Government Departments and other private agencies depend on the artistes for painting their needs, be it publicity hoardings or cinema posters that used to hang up larger than life size in front of cinema houses.

But the introduction of machine made pictures in the wake of development in science and technology has slowly taken over these works, which were traditionally considered to be the reserve of the hand held painters.

Interacting with The Sangai Express, a group of artistes who are currently engaged in painting on the northern side of the walls of Johnstone Higher Secondary School, said that painting is a god gifted talent and they have been living on it all these years.

However, after machines have been started using for printing publicity materials, hoardings and cinema posters, they have been finding it increasingly difficult to get work orders.

Among the artistes who are being engaged for painting wall posters related to National Rural Health Mission on the walls of Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Sougrakpam Itocha (31) is from Yairipok, Longjam Bijendro (42) is from Wangoi and Syed Bashir (30) is from Hatta.

All three of them are working as painters in Dina Art Gallery at Rup Mahal Tank area as well.

On the other hand, Khundrakpam Sarat (38) of Keinou and Konsam Biky (38) of Thangmeiband Thingel are working in Singh Art, RIMS Road.

All of them are presently working under the contract of one Naoba of Haobam Marak for painting the wall posters of NRHM.

The requisitioned work is to spread over an area of 3000 sq ft and Asian Paints colour are being used for the purpose as it is water proof and lasts longer.

They informed that most of the orders for painting wall posters or publicity hoardings are received from Health Department and its related agencies.

In addition, they also received orders for painting advertisements of private mobile service companies like Aircel, Airtel, Reliance, etc.

With the introduction of machine made pictures, such work orders have become hard to come by with exception to wall poster painting which could not be done by machines.

Machine made pictures may come handy, but there are some people who are wiser and come looking for nothing but hand paintings, they added.

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