Speaking through artwork

Zena Colaco, who speaks through colours and emotes on the canvas, showcased her talent during a three-day art exhibition at Preediv Art Gallery.

The exhibition had a display of about 50 artworks, which enthralled art enthusiasts in the city and nearby. ‘Sounds of Silence’ was the third solo exhibition by Zena, who is differently abled, with hearing and speech impairment.

She was attracted to the world of art a tender age and has been creating paintings using different styles, including acrylic, oil and water colour. The theme of her painting varies from Nature to modern art. Some her modern artworks depicted issues related to women.

Zena has done her initial education at St Agnes College, pre-university through IGNOU and diploma in fashion designing at the Mangaluru Institute of Technology.

“Initially, Zena underwent training in painting during vacations. Otherwise, she is a self-taught artist,” her mother Brinci Colaco said.

Zena has won the ‘Swabhiman Award’ and the ‘Unique Golden Brush Talent Award’, among others.

She was one of the 15 women artists to take part in the ‘Poorva Thorava’ art mela on the deputy commissioner’s office premises. These apart, she has taken part in several joint and stall exhibitions. The art expo was organised between January 11 and 13.