Patients turn models for caricaturist

Forgetting their pain and ailments for a while, patients of the Government General Hospital here allowed themselves to be caricatured by Sajjive Balakrishnan, who made their one-minute sketches with unparallelled artistry and finesse.
He drew 270 caricatures on the occasion.
Sajjive Balakrishnan, an income tax official, was at the hospital as part of the 'Arts and Medicine' project being conducted by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF).
The caricaturist, who calls himself a "fatoonist" poking fun at his own weight, gained entry to the Limca Book of Records by drawing the highest number of full body caricatures in twelve hours at a show organized under the aegis of Kerala Cartoon Academy in 2010.

"The Arts and Medicine project is a wonderful initiative and I am happy to be a part of it", said Sajjive, who describes himself as a 'caricature evangelist' and does not stick on to a particular style in his works.
"I am not an artist who sits inside his room and works on his imagination. I would rather take a walk and sketch people with stunning features then and there", he said.

He interacted with the patients and staff at the hospital all through the day, drawing their caricatures and presenting it to them.
Balakrishnan started drawing cartoons and caricatures during his school days and got his first work published in 1976 when he was in the sixth standard.

Dr Iva Fattorine, Chair of Global Arts and Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, who is the guiding spirit behind the KBF's Art and Medicine project said she was overwhelmed by the response to the programme and was keen to expand it to more hospitals in kerala.
"Today's programme is part of KBF's plan to include more art forms in the Arts and Medicine project", said Bonny Thomas, KBF research coordinator, adding they would come up with more such novel programmes.
The Mehboob Memorial Orchestra simultaneously held a concert of old Malayalam melodies, giving a musical touch to Sajjive's drawings.
The project was launched by Union Minister, K V Thomas, on Feb 1.