Forum promotes differently-abled artists in city

India is home to nearly 100 differently-abled artists. In a bid to promote some of these artists, three students from Shri Ram College of Commerce and IIT Delhi came together to start iOTA. They plan to hold an exhibition displaying the works of these artists and want to create an ecosystem that supports a sustainable future for them.

Citing M.F. Husain and Amrita Sher-Gil as her influences, Sheela Sharma — who paints with her foot — had lost her hands and almost a foot in a train accident. Viewers can witness emotions, empathy and love depicted through her painting.

“I had lost my hands and almost a foot in a train accident but then I came across an artist in Delhi who used to paint without hands. This is what inspired me to take a shot at painting with my foot,” she said.

C.V. Surendran who has been on a wheelchair since the age of 14 due to a neuromuscular disease, uses ballpoint pens for his art. He draws complex landscapes with figures, animals and takes two or three months to complete each painting.

All of a sudden, Amita Dutta was asked to quit school after ninth standard as the school didn’t have the facility to teach a deaf child. But Amita completed her schooling from the National Open School and did a diploma in interior design. She uses coffee as a medium to paint and wants to inspire others to become artists.

Another artist Shivraj Singh, who is affected by polio, is a famous sculptor whose work would not only be displayed in iOTA but has also been featured in prestigious galleries across the country.

He has conducted a variety of workshops for children. His art is abstract at times and draws inspiration from African tribal sculpture.

Shreekant Dubey, Vipul Mittal and Neelesh Ganesh are some of the other talented differently-abled artists whose paintings will help them to gain recognition in the world of art through such exhibitions. iOTA plans to hold its first exhibition at a premier art gallery in Delhi. With the purpose of creating a market for these artists by linking them with prospective buyers, it has started a crowd funding initiative on Desiredwings.com.

In the long run, iOTA also plans to create an online platform to give these artists the required exposure and recognition. These artists do not need your sympathy. What they need is to generate genuine interest in their art.