When his friends played or watched television, 12-year-old Ahil Rahman preferred to paint in solitude at his Beck Bagan home. His mentor? Vincent Van Gogh.
Ahil's artwork usually portrayed the emotions he was going through. A turbulent river in blue and brown, mythology in shades of red and naturescape in charcoal turned out to be vivid narratives as well as reflections of the artist's mind.
“I paint to emote. I can't always express what I feel,” Ahil, a Class VIII student of Don Bosco School, ParkCircus, said.
Sixty-two of his paintings were exhibited at The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, as part of his debut solo exhibition — The Imagination — on May 2 and 3. From sketches and portraits to abstract work, Ahil's collection offered visitors a wide range to explore. Greeting them at the entrance was a towering four-foot painting of King Dhritarashtra, titled The Ambitious King. The composition used grey and black to depict the Pandavs and red and yellow for the Kauravs.
"The painting is about betrayal, ambition and conflict," said Ahil. His favourite is the portrait of a raging riverscape.
"Even I find this painting very lively," added father Anisur Rahman, a government employee. Their house in Beck Bagan is now a treasure trove of over 500 artworks that Ahil has worked on since the age of four. He received no formal training, having taught himself through books and online resources, often studying the techniques of his idol, Van Gogh. "Van Gogh's A Pair of Shoes is my favourite and also my inspiration," Ahil said.
The Covid-19 lockdown was the turning point in his life. With school going online, he spent hours sketching and painting, often deep into the night. “He would sketch and finish all the canvases at home. I would rush to get more. Since then, he’s never stopped”, recalled his father. Ahil is also an actor and member of a junior drama group, Hullor.
Right now, life is about balancing academics, play rehearsals and painting for Ahil. He paints after 10pm, in the quiet of the night, pouring all his thoughts on canvas till the wee hours. Ahil’s work has already clinched several awards. His painting has also been featured in Nasa’s 2023 calendar.
According to mother Debamita Majumder, Ahil is heavily influenced by her storytelling and life experiences. “I have taken Ahil to shanties and slum areas to give him a reality check and teach him empathy,” she said.
Ahil's teachers, friends and family attended the exhibition. His charcoal painting, Shantiniketan, a take on Rabindranath Tagore’s Kumor Parar Gorur Gari, was a huge hit. A vibrant frame of faces represented his drama mates of Hullor.
"This one is my favourite and a slice of our lives," said his theatre friend, Adrij Sarkar of Class IV, Ram Mohan Mission High School.
Standing close to it was a six-piece charcoal set, The English Darbar, that Ahil completed in a single afternoon, showcasing his grit and growing passion for art.