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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 1 April 2018
Image: Roshan Orko Roy sitting on a sofa

Roshan (Orko) Roy overcame his motor control challenges to become an acclaimed artist with his own unique style. His art enables him to earn a modest living despite a hampered formal education. He also conducts painting workshops for other children. #AutismAwarenessWeek

Roshan (Orko) Roy’s achievement has been to overcome his biggest hurdle and make it his strength. He picked up art at a point in time when he could barely hold a pencil. Due to his autistic problems, his motor control was so challenged that he could not even write the alphabets. As a result, he had to attend a special school. At this stage, when he started sketching animals, he would draw uninterrupted lines quickly, almost to ensure that his motor control limitations would not hamper his work. This then became his style.

His work has been published in an international art publication called “Drawing Autism” wherein the works of famous international autistic artists have been compiled. In 2013 Roshan’s (Orko’s) art was nominated for the International Naturally Autistic People Awards, and in 2014, his second consecutive nomination saw him awarded the second prize in visual art at a global festival in Edinburgh. 

Though his formal education has been severely hampered, his art has helped him to earn a modest living, which in itself is a huge achievement for a person with intellectual and physical challenges. Today Roshan (Orko) is showing signs of a young, self-employed person who, in the future, can not only set up his own studio, but can also provide earning opportunities for the differently abled who can work with him. He has conducted painting workshops and exhibitions to encourage other autistic participants in various camps. This way he continues to inspire other parents who now want to encourage their autistic children to take up art.

Roshan (Orko)'s self-belief and sense of achievement through art has made him extremely confident of himself. Although he continues to live a very challenged life due to all his autistic traits and physical challenges which include sudden epileptic attacks (he is on a heavy dose of anti-epileptic drugs) and other social limitations due to his poor communication skills, he has been able to achieve recognition for his distinctive style. His art which reflects his simplistic attitude towards life accentuated by bold, spontaneous lines is perhaps what has made his exhibitions commercially successful and his paintings fit to be curated by some of the leading art agents.

Roshan (Orko's) Video Interview

In his video interview with his father Kaushik, Roshan (Orko) shares his thoughts on his relationships with friends - boys and girls, why he would like girlfriends, how he is bothered by the behaviour of his friends, what he does in his spare time, how he would love to continue studying, skate, swing in the garden

In his own unique way he communicates his deep hurt and anger when he is excluded from groups and how he hates people laughing at him, pointing fingers 

"When people share a place with everyone and speaks and all that, that time I like. Not when they are talking to themselves and playing by themselves and laughing a lot to themselves and all that. Not laughing with me. Putting me alone and talking to themselves and looking at me in the strange way at times like this (staring)."

He believes life overseas is better "Because going abroad means people abroad are much more friendlier and they will keep the same behavior always. Nice. Yes, And abroad people of any age can go to school and college learn anything. And study also and paint also. At any age people abroad can skate and cycle and do swings and slides and all that."

 

Check out the video link below and his art website 

 

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