CHENNAI: A whole year of staying in, trying new hobbies and revisiting old ones; a whole year of video calls, online gatherings and virtual parties; and a whole year of hoping for the better. The second wave of COVID-19 has brought with it amplified chaos, new struggles, and a desperate need for a helping hand.
While NGOs, volunteer groups and individuals are stepping up to the plate, offering their services towards COVID relief, creatives from different industries are also extending support by using their talents and presence on social media. Sahana Iyer talks to sketch artists, musicians, designers and illustrators, who are selling their work to raise funds for charities and services working towards COVID relief.
Framed photographs by Arun rs
A former cinematographer, Arun RS began focussing on macrophotography in 2019, making it a serious pursuit in the 2020 lockdown. When the second wave of the pandemic hit, he put up the prints in his portfolio for sale as a fundraiser, inspired by fellow artist Sangeetha Priya. You can choose the image you like and message him on Instagram to receive a framed photograph in 10 days. “To me, it’s a win-win situation. People are receiving photos, my work is on their wall which is a point of pride for me, they are participating in a good cause, and allowing me to continue donating to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Relief Fund,” says Arun. Surpassing his expectations, the sale has seen positive results in merely a few days.
For details, visit Instagram: @artographies
A musical concert by Vedanth Bharadwaj with Samarpana for Arts and Well Being
It is said that ‘music is the language of the spirit’, and spirit is much needed in these trying times. “I feel that music can help us cope with the current situation, bring us together, and initiate some form of healing,” says musician Vedanth Bharadwaj. He will be featured on a non-profit trust, Samarpana Arts and Well Being’s Facebook Live for a musical concert called Songs of Love, Joy & Hope. The concert is open to all and will include songs written by mystic poets from the Bhakti and Sufi traditions. The proceeds of the show will go towards Samarpana’s Milaap campaign #HelpChennaiBreathe to acquire oxygen cylinders, concentrators, and other medical equipment for government hospitals in Chennai. “(The current situation) is completely unprecedented. The chief of a government hospital, sobbing, said to me, ‘Even during the tsunami, we were able to manage the situation, but now...we have never seen anything like this before’,” says Gayathri Suryanarayanan, founder of Samarpana. Several fundraisers and workshops are being held by the trust to raise money for their campaign.
The concert will be held on May 23 at 7 pm.
For details, visit: @vedanth_bharadwaj, @samarpanaforartsandwellbeing
To donate: tinyurl.com/help-chennai-breathe
Digital Portraits by Sangeetha Priya
For four years, Chennai-based architect and illustrator Sangeetha Priya used her Instagram art account as a coping mechanism — a platform to talk about social issues close to her heart. It was only recently that she decided to take up commissions for digital portrait sketches to fund a cause, and was met with instant success. “Almost all of the commissions I have got are from strangers. They were gifts for Mother’s Day, for siblings, friends, and children. I found it nice that people are able to reach out to each other through this since they are not able to physically give gifts,” she shares. So far, Sangeetha has contributed to the Trans Community Kitchen, and an individual in Minjur, who is raising funds to donate an X-ray machine to a government hospital. She is looking to donate to more COVID relief causes.
For details, visit Instagram: @sangeethapriya_i
Print Sales by Chennai Photo Biennale
The CPB Foundation is a non-profit organisation that promotes education of photographic art to various age groups. With a large community of photographers at their disposal, they decided to use their resources and extend their support to COVID relief causes. They are raising funds through a prints sale initiative called PhotoSolidarity. Currently, special edition prints from 67 photographers are available for purchase and CPB plans to add more to their roster. All profits from the sales will be donated to Khalsa Aid India and Protsahan India Foundation.
For details, visit: @chennaiphotobiennale
Purchase a print at: shop.chennaiphotobiennale.com
Paintings and Portrait Sketches by Prasanna Pandian
Like many others, Chennai-based architect and artist Prasanna Pandian too sought ways in which he could help people during the pandemic. While he has an art Instagram account, he had never used it commercially. “I have been fascinated by people who are trying to do their best (to give to COVID relief) through their skills. I have seen people at home, cooking for those in need in their neighbourhood. I wanted to do something but I didn’t know how to help,” says Pandian. When his colleague Sangeetha Priya had put up her digital portraits for a fundraiser, it inspired him to commission digital portraits of people to raise funds for the (TN) Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He expanded his work to caricatures for WhatsApp stickers and also noticed a demand for his oil paintings. This weekend, he will be conducting virtual classes on digital portraits.
For details, visit Instagram: @pandianprasanna, or contact: 9940507219
Art AND Photo Prints by Chennai for change
C hennai for Change started as a two-person initiative by Prashanth Tirupachur Vasanthakrishnan and Karthiknathan Sowbaghyanathan, who have tied up with Meals for Madras. They were trying to raise funds by selling prints (through Prashanth’s start-up — clictoprint) of Karthiknathan’s artwork. Soon, friends, photographers and other artists wished to join in on the efforts. “I wanted to work towards COVID relief but had a small reach through my Instagram account. I found out my friends had come up with Chennai For Change,” says Vishal Srinivas, one of the 17 creators featured on their account.
For details, visit Instagram: @chennaiforchange
Exclusive Jewellery by The Trinket Shop
A passion project-turned-business, The Trinket Shop is an Insta store for those seeking exclusive jewellery. When the owner, Bhagyalakshmi Suresh, saw the plight of COVID-affected India, she decided to do her bit by donating part of her sales to COVID relief institutions like the Hemkunt Foundation. “My friends lost their dear ones. We struggled to get leads on bed availability and oxygen. It made me realise that it’s up to us to use social media and support foundations,” she says. You can purchase her products by taking a screenshot of the item and sending her a WhatsApp message to book it.
For details, visit Instagram: @the_trinket_shop l WhatsApp: 9962152052
Illustrated T-shirts by Nat Francis
A student at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, Nat Francis has been an artist since she was a child. So, when she began searching for ways to contribute towards COVID relief, she was inspired by her college senior who was selling prints of her artworks as a fundraiser. Using her talents, Francis designed T-shirts and bags that are live on sale on her Instagram account. The proceeds from the sales will be donated to Keshav Suri Foundation, or the buyers can list causes/organisations they wish to donate to. She also encourages those who have a skill and disposable income to use their talents for COVID relief.
To purchase T-shirts or a tote bag visit Instagram: @bomma.boy
Artwork Auctions by Priyanshu Bhadu
A month and a half back, when Bengaluru-based Priyanshu Bhadu began a new job, she felt her creative side was underutilised and suppressed. That’s when she decided to repurpose scrap and put it up for bidding online to donate for different causes. But when she was diagnosed with COVID-19, she had to press pause. Now, she has restarted her project by collaborating with family and friends, who are auctioning their work on her Instagram account to raise funds for a Jaipur-based NGO, Hope and Beyond. Priyanshu’s auctions allowed her to contribute to the NGO’s #feedtheneedy initiative. “We were able to feed 25 families out of the money raised by one pair of earrings,” she says. The artworks are live for bidding on her Instagram stories from 1 pm to 7 pm. People can make their bid by responding to the story. She hopes to expand to other causes and bring about services and workshops as well.
For details, visit Instagram: @build.bid.donate