Any physical limitations cannot be the end of life. Deepan Sarkar, a painter having hearing impairment issues sent out the message of optimism and resilience amid adversities at his debut today.

Deepan’s first solo exhibition at Academy of Fine Arts was inaugurated by state health and family welfare department minister, Chandrima Bhattacharya today. The paintings, marking a culmination of reality and abstraction, are on public display till 24 November between 12 pm to 8 pm.

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Winner of the Shankar Dutta Memorial Bronze Medal, Deepan was diagnosed with a 100 per cent hearing loss at a young age of 14 months. Even though devastated by the news, his mother Nipa Sarkar tried to observe his capabilities amid limitations and realized his son’s love for art at an early stage of three years. “From his very childhood days, I realised that he was extraordinarily talented at painting. Being unable to speak clearly, he expressed his thoughts through his drawings at a young age,” said Debabrata Dey, an eminent painter and sculptor of the city. Fighting through his adversaries, Deepan later attained the Masters degree in Fine Arts from Rabindra Bharati University with flying colours.

As pointed out by the painter, his works send out the message of hope amid the grim sides of life. In his various paintings, Deepan has used hands symbolising different messages. In one of his works which has been widely acclaimed, he depicts a raised hand as a symbol of nurture, nourishment, faith, trust and protest in the foreground portraying God as the ‘Saviour.’

“A lot of my works are on the idea that it is truth that prevails even amidst the darkest situations,” said Deepan. “I want to tell the people not to lose hope and work with resilience as no adversities could be the end of life,” he added.

Able to converse through lip reading, Deepan launched his solo exhibition and aspires to be named among the eminent painters of the city.