Adding colours to this academic season, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) education department held their annual rangoli competition on Thursday and Friday, in which artificial intelligence (AI), cultural figures, and societal evils emerged as prominent themes.
With 60 participating students, three were honoured with certificates, where the winning rangoli was a portrait of Virat Kohli, which was created by Ragini Chaurasiya, a student of Std VIII. A fan of the cricketer and an avid sketch artist, Ragini had already decided that her sports idol was going to be the theme of her rangoli exhibit. “I have been drawing rangoli at home and in competitions, which has helped me boost my confidence. I really hope to become an art teacher at a school when I grow up, while commissioning some of my own projects,” the Kurla-based student told mid-day.
Virat Kohli rangoli that won the first prize; art showcasing our dependence on technology. Pics/Aditi Alurkar
The second prize was bagged by Antara Pawar, a Mankhurd school student, who presented stunning mandala art with shading work. Right behind her was Riya Shah, who showcased the evils of phone addiction in her Rangoli. Flowers, peacocks, traditional motifs, and sceneries decorated the auditorium at NM Joshi Municipal School in Lower Parel and are to remain open for visitors on Saturday too.
Art and AI
A total of 26 civic employees, from art teachers to janitors, also participated in the competition. In an interesting take, art teachers displayed AI creeping into education.
Creating a rangoli of an AI robot breaking down the bricks of your brain, art teacher Dinkar Rikame said, “I had an idea and an image in mind, and I asked AI to enhance the image. In doing so I realised that I’m being taken farther away from the true spirit of art. Which is why I created this particular rangoli, since instant solutions are taking an artist away from their process.”
Worried about how the integration of AI may affect his budding art students, he said, “Using too much of AI, YouTube, and digital screens in classrooms is moulding students to approach technology instantly. I try to present all drawing techniques on a pen and paper in front of my students so they see an actual human do it. While tech integration is important, one cannot forget the roots of teaching.”
The teacher also emphasised the need for patience while creating art, a quality that is being lost increasingly owing to digitalisation.
26
No. of civic employees who participated
