KOCHI: Aakansha Menon has a knack for turning the mundane into humorous pieces of art. Her comic strips are centred around a character who looks like her.
From the vagaries of people around her to her favourite shows and movies, everything inspires her artistry. Her Instagram account is a treasure trove for giggles for anyone on a hard day after work or school. “I am happy to spread happiness in any way I can. I wanted to talk about the little things that are always relegated to the sidelines. It’s these little things that many miss that come to my notice. Including my own experiences and proclivities,” she quips.
Though she occasionally paints serious issues in the country including politics, she is more interested in spreading happiness.
During Christmas in 2020, while the death toll was rising and Covid caseload was worrying everyone, she released her art can be a cosy place for those around her. Not having salons open so she can cut her hair was one of the problems worrying her.
She showed her plight through a colourful comic strip, where a long-haired Rapunzel is ordering food from the top of her tower. She collects her food cravings from the delivery executive with her long hair.
A lot of Aakansha’s comics centre around food. What if Apple’s Siri starts preparing food instantaneously on demand, is one of her other comics that make us things. Her imagination knows no bounds — be it her struggle with procrastination or her penchant for overthinking.
The artist with roots in Ottappalam was born and brought up in Chennai. She is currently in Bengaluru balancing her hobbies and work. Aakansha used to draw since she was a kid. “I used to go for art classes when I was four,” she recalls. She went to Bengaluru for her higher studies in fashion designing at NIFT. However, after working in the industry for a year after college, she knew she wanted to try other things.
“I was introduced to the digital medium during my days at NIFT. Since then, I have been interested in digital arts. So, I started exploring and working with in this line,” she adds. The artist is currently working as a visual designer in a tech firm. After a long day spent looking at screens, she sometimes goes back to pens and pencils.
Instagram: hued.spirit