For them, art is all about spreading happiness, positivity

Team L&M

Over the last few days, through our column, ART INDEX, we have been bringing you works of artists and cartoonists based on Coronavirus and its times. Another such initiative, this time a collective one, was completed recently by All About Art (AAA), a community of all kinds of artists.

“The 21-day creative performances were performed during the first phase of the nationwide lockdown with the artists going live online to express their form of art. Dancers, musicians, painters, singers… contributed in large numbers,” informs founder of AAA Neha Sameer.

“In these trying times, while everyone is doing their best to keep up the spirits high, the artist community is busy spreading positivity and keeping all the hopes intact through art which brings us all together and has the power to change the world and the vibes around. Social media has come to the rescue like never before and is helping everyone to keep their sanity intact,” adds Neha, a self-taught artist who spends time exploring different techniques in paintings in these times.

For the third phase, she has already requested artists to share their journey of becoming an artist(e) – what made them follow their heart, the challenges and how they fought it. “I feel everyone has a relatable yet different story and can inspire many who are still exploring art in themselves,” feels Neha.

Let’s take a look how artists are spreading positive hues…

MINISHA BHARDWAJ
Known for her conceptual portraits predominantly in charcoal as also other mediums, Minisha initiated a 30-day prompt art challenge along with free workshops. In the challenge, everyone was allowed to participate and create art on different themes, majorly centered around uplifting the spirits of people who were into the Herculean task of ensuring safety of every citizen.

Minisha dished out different themes for participants on which they had to present an artwork. She ensured the themes were filled with positivity to uplift the spirit of the people. Kids were the most active group to begin with. Later parents and established artists joined in.

KANIKA SINGH
A mini mason mosaic artist who creates mosaic art installations for interiors and exteriors, Kanika Singh encouraged and showed people the way through videos to make mosaic hearts with recycle materials available at home.

Once the lockdown ends, these artworks will be collected from everyone. Kanika wants to create an installation for a biodiversity park to express gratitude towards Corona Warriors.

ADITYA PATHAK
The musician in Aditya Pathak channelised his creativity towards keeping people positively engaged by curating art quizzes and meditational music along with Bollywood music videos. “I am foremost ensuring a balance within. The foremost thing I try to ensure in these challenging times is my health, joy, patience and creativity and being open to changes and new ideas. I have seen that when I maintain a balance within, I am able to perform better. I appreciate the fact that my joy is dependent on my surroundings — people around me, things I need and as soon as my mind understands it is in my interest only that if everyone around me is joyous, my mind needs no further convincing to work for one and all. Basically, I try to put the ‘selfishness’ of mind to some good use by including everyone in it,” he says.

With the current pandemic situation and lockdown, Pathak has tried to channelise his art by keeping people positively engaged, be it through blogs, travel videos, tutorials, food pics or meditational music. I design all this content in a way that is enjoyable and simple to comprehend. but also leaves the viewer with the curiosity to try out things themselves.

RAJEEV WIG
A chest and tuberculosis specialist, Rajeev Wig has inclination towards conceptual, abstract and contemporary art forms. For him, art should convey a message, be it thought-provoking or sarcastic.

Though he is not academically sound and technically trained in the field of art, Wig prefers palette knives over brushes for his creations. In these challenging times, Wig created artworks on the pandemic to offer his gratitude to the frontline corona warriors.

RICHA NIRWAN
An admirer of creativity in all forms — singing , dancing and illustration and sketching, Richa Nirwan says she is spending the lockdown period doing everything that keeps her mind and soul occupied and happy.

She loves creating portraits, be it hand sketching or the digital ones. The mother of two, in between her home schedule, tries to squeeze out time for herself every day, especially when the kids are sleeping.

SHAMPA MOITRA
Artist Shampa Moitra has her own unique way of spreading smiles. Every day, she has been scribbling and sketching her friends’ life on Facebook and tagging them with special messages.

Shampa used her artworks to communicate and spread social awareness and basic rules in society.