Promising work by Manmohan

CHANDIGARH, March 10: Manmohan Singh Dhaliwal. The name may misguide you into thinking it belongs to a senior artist. But the artist8217; in question is just a first year student of the Government College of Art. His work, which is on display at the Punjab Kala Bhawan, however, belies his age, for there is maturity in his frames, something rare for a fresher. His canvasses deal with life in the jhopdis; so there is disillusion, disappointment and even a resigned air about them. Though he has tried his hand at dry pastels, it is the work in black and white that shows his potential as the faces and figures haunt you for a long time.

And since Manmohan has been moulded by one of the city8217;s leading artists, Anil Wadhera, the traces of the guru8217;s scheme of things can be found in his work. But one wishes for a bit of variety, as repetition in the theme and presentation breeds boredom in the viewer. Something he can overcome in the years to come.