THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The international online painting competition for children launched by Kerala Tourism to commemorate India’s legendary child prodigy Edmund Thomas Clint, who left behind a rich legacy of over 25,000 pictures in a short span of life, has generated overwhelming response from around the world.
Over 30,000 children from 116 countries have so far registered for the competition, which offers prizes totaling Rs 60 lakh to winners. However, only 15,000 of them have been able to send their entries considering the rush of online Christmas and New Year greetings and limited internet access in many places. In view of the situation, the deadline for sending entries has been extended to January 31, 2019.
Kerala Tourism has launched the Competition in memory of India’s legendary child prodigy Edmund Thomas Clint — Kerala’s art genius who wielded his brush with an incredible imagination to leave behind a legacy of over 25,000 pictures in 2,522 days of his life.
Children in the age group of 4-16 years are eligible to participate in the competition with each of them permitted to submit a maximum of five entries. All above 18 years of age can register as promoters of the competition.
Registrations are absolutely free. The participants will have to upload their entries online and all entrants will be given certificate of participation.
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. Forty special prizes of Rs 10,000 each have been set apart exclusively for the participants from Kerala.
Born in Kochi, Clint lived one month short of seven years as a prolonged illness cut short his life, but even in that period, he could produce a prolific body of artworks that bears the stamp of creative flourish of the little genius. His curiosity was often triggered by the sight of nature, especially trees, flowers, birds and animals, and his creativity was reflected through an excellent command over pencil, crayons, ball pens and especially water colour, which is extremely difficult to be mastered by a small kid.
Clint’s last work was a portrayal of the traditional Thira dancer, which the boy happened to get a peek while passing through Koyilandy upstate in Kozhikode district in April 1983, just a month prior to his seventh birthday before he died of kidney failure. The organisers of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), India’s only biennale, had honoured the wonder kid by showcasing his select works in the second edition of the contemporary art event in 2014.
Clint’s life and works have earned global acclaim. Seven books and two documentaries have been created based on his life. To register, participants can log on to https://www.keralatourism.org/clint/ and the website, which also has a snap shot of the genius, is available in 23 languages.
