SINGAPORE - Diagnosed with intellectual disability, 43-year-old Shoban Pillai has difficulty conveying his thoughts and emotions, but when he paints, joy is evident on his face.
Touch Centre for Independent Living equips adults with mild intellectual disabilities with basic living and pre-employment skills.
Mr Pillai began learning art under the Centre's SpecialCrafts programme in 2014.
He is one of 14 beneficiaries whose pieces will be showcased as part of Touch Giving Art, a charity art exhibition by Touch Community Services.
Some 70 artworks will be on display, including those by acclaimed local artists like Cultural Medallion Award for Visual Arts recipient Milenko Prvacki.
The exhibition was launched on Friday (June 7) and aims to foster a more inclusive community in Singapore and celebrate the creative abilities of people with special needs.
Mr Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for Law and Health, was guest of honour at the launch.
"The Government welcomes and encourages efforts to integrate persons with disabilities into the community. Art is especially important as it is the one medium where the platform is levelled, and there is no such thing as ability or disability," he said.
Touch Giving Art will be open to the public on June 8 and 9 at The Arts House, Gallery 1. Admission is free.
All artworks at the exhibition will be available for purchase.
Proceeds will go towards supporting Touch's programmes that help people with special needs gain independence through daily living, personal, social, and pre-employment skills training.
