Art exhibition to raise awareness on autism hailed as a success

Saturday, 28 July 2012 00:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The ‘Pabasara Warna’ art exhibition was held successfully at the National Art Gallery on 16 July 2012 and showcased drawings and artwork by Pabasara Gunasekara. This exhibition marked her 18th birthday and was her second exhibition.

Pabasara is a differently-abled youth who was born with a condition called autism. “The main goal of organising this event was to raise awareness about autism. In other parts of the world, there are many support groups and a lot of social awareness about autism,” said Kithsiri Gunasekara, Pabasara’s father, who spoke on behalf of his daughter.

He shared how Pabasara’s artistic talents were spotted and developed with the help of an arts teacher who is specialised in teaching differently-abled children. “After my daughter started drawing, her self-confidence grew quickly and she was able to enjoy drawing. She used to draw till midnight to prepare for this exhibition,” stated Gunasekara.

The exhibition was organised with the support of Bhanuka Wijesinghe, an arts teacher specialised in teaching children with special needs. Today, Pabasara is learning music under the guidance of a specialised teacher.

On behalf of Pabasara, her parents thanked Shirani Joseph de Seram, Champani Devika, Manel Victoria Liyanage, Malsha Amarasinghe and all the staff at the Speech Therapy and Rehabilitation Center, Nawala, all of whom have helped Pabasara throughout her life.

Held under the theme ‘Beyond Autism,’ it was organised to raise awareness about the autism and how society could help children and youth with autism by recognising their talents. Autism is known as a complex developmental disability. The condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, affecting development of the person’s communication and social interaction skills. Specialist education and structured support can really make a difference to a person with autism, helping maximize their skills and achieve their full potential in adulthood.