- Children in 4-16 age group eligible for competition
- The last date for submission of entries is December 31st, 2018
TRIVANDRUM, India, December 10, 2018 : Kerala Tourism has launched an International Children’s Online Painting Competition as a part of the effort to commemorate the works and incredible story of Indian child prodigy Edmund Thomas Clint, and to provide a platform for the next generation of maestros hidden among us. Held in honour of a legendary nonpareil of Kerala who produced 25,000 works of art in the mere 7 years he spent on the planet, it is the perfect opportunity for artists from India and around the world to showcase their talent.
Entries are pouring in from around the globe, with participants vying to assume the mantle left by Clint. The competition has so far received 13,000 registrations from 104 countries, including Ghana, Albania, Sri Lanka, Australia and the United States of America. Children in the age group of 4-16 years are eligible to participate with each participant permitted to submit a maximum of five entries. All above 18 years of age can register as promoters of the competition. The last date for submission of entries is December 31st, 2018, and registrations are absolutely free.
The participants will have to upload their entries online and all entrants will be given a certificate of participation. To register, participants can log on to https://www.keralatourism.org/
clint/, managed by Invis Multimedia, and the website is available in 23 languages.
A total of 15 winners will get free five-night family trips to Kerala while ten promoters of the competition will get solo five-night trips to the state. In addition, 20 winners from abroad will be given mementoes. Also, cash prizes worth Rs 10,000 each will be given to 65 winners.
Clint’s story is one that has inspired entire generations of artists. Taken away from us a month before his seventh birthday, he was born and raised in Kochi. His eyes were constantly fascinated by any visual they encountered, be it trees, flowers, birds, temples or festivals. He was also renowned for having excellent control over a wide range of tools including pencil, crayons, ball pens and water colours. He found beauty in every story he heard and every incident he witnessed and left behind an immense volume of work that astounds people to this day.
Interestingly, his last work of art depicted a classic Thira dancer he saw in Kozhikode district in April 1983. A month later, he would leave the world due to kidney failure. But his life and its message of resilience are still remembered by all who get to view his creations. In 2014, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), India’s only biennale, showcased his works at their contemporary art event. Clint has also become the subject of seven books and two documentaries. This competition is a tribute to the indomitable artistic will of a young child. It is sure to light the flame inside the next generation of trendsetters who will shape the world of art in the coming years.
