CHENNAI: When Urusha Maher, creator of the stationery brand The Paper Dolphin, was a fledgeling entrepreneur, she found it difficult to enter into pop-up spaces in the city. So she decided, three years ago, to start her pop-up for artists across the city.
Thus the Art Fleamart was born. The third edition of the art pop-up will be held today at the Humming Room, Nungambakkam. Around 30 local and budding artists will be exhibiting their art, which will be available at prices starting from Rs 20 to Rs 1,200.
“I was finding out such artists through social media. I approached these artists so that we’d have a good mix of products at the pop-up. Social media is such that an artist may not be able to sell as many items as they want to, as it operates on likes. This is a chance for artists to connect and bond with their clients,” said Maher.
Previous editions of the pop-up have resulted in several artists from the Chennai art community collaborating. This also provides artists a confidence boost and the motivation needed to take their passion forward.
“A lot of them do art as a side hustle. It’s important to have such pop-ups because then you can contribute to the culture and ethos of the city. Most of these artists are new and don’t have much of a following yet, so this is a great opportunity for them,” said Maher. The Art Fleamart will be held today at Humming Room, Nungambakkam, from 10 am to 6 pm.