My mother was a wonderful person – and sometimes, I think, it’s only when I grew up and passed through the same stages of life that I truly appreciated how special she was. She was loving but not sentimental, and encouraged us to take her for granted. Which was a gift in itself, one that I understood only when I became a parent.
It’s been years that she’s been gone, and my brother and I have been thinking of a way to commemorate her. Some of the ideas we developed were non-starters. But then the perfect one popped up.
THE MONU BOSE MEMORIAL PRIZE
The Monu Bose Memorial Prize is established in fond memory of Monu Bose by her children, Rupa Bose and Gautam Bose. Monu Bose was a lover of art of all kinds, and a graduate of Lucknow University and the College of Arts and Crafts. This Prize is to honor the legacy she opened up for us. The Prize will be administered and awarded by Dream Foundry. It will award $1000 annually to the winner of the Dream Foundry Art Competition. The donors hope that this prize will encourage new artists to develop their work and find their audience.
The Apple Tree. Copyright Thaleia Demeter (ThaleiaDemeter.com) Published with permission
The winner this year is Thaleia Demeter. I think Mom would have loved her work.
ABOUT MY MOTHER
Mom was born in Kolkata, India and grew up in what was then called Rangoon, in Burma (Myanmar). The daughter of a doctor, whose childhood home was filled with music and books, she had a broad range of interests and a gift for friendship. When World War II tore through the region, she returned to India with her parents and siblings. They eventually settled in Lucknow, where she studied Economics – and Art.
My mother had many interests – she loved animals and birds, gardening, and art. Though she never pursued it as a career, there was artistry in everything she did. She always enjoyed the art created by others. This prize is in her honor and memory, and the hope that it will encourage artists of a new generation.
Rupa Bose's Blog 