Art for all—Atypical Advantage exhibition showcases creativity of persons with disabilities

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 795 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath recently hosted an art exhibition by Atypical Advantage, a leading livelihood platform for Persons with Disabilities (PWD). It was aptly titled Art for All: Uniting in Freedom, Celebrating Diversity (see our coverage of earlier exhibitions at this Bengaluru venue here).

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“The exhibition featured over 100 artworks, sculptures, and photographs by 60 artists. More than 60% of these artists have some form of disability,” Vineet Saraiwala, Founder and CEO of Atypical Advantage, tells YourStory.

Atypical Advantage helps find career opportunities and projects for its large pool of 15,000 talents with disabilities. It has worked with over 250 corporates in the past three years.

“By bringing together diverse artistic expressions, the exhibition highlights the importance of accessibility and representation in the art world,” Saraiwala affirms. This emphatically promotes a message of equality and shared humanity.

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Featured eminent artists include Ajay Jayaprakash, Indubala, Rupak Munje, Shreya Gupta, Varun Naren, Maredu Ramu, Rajendra Munje, Ritu Khate, Vivek Mahendra, Ekta Khanna, Prasenjit Sinha, and Amitava Bhowmick.

Archana Gokhale, an artist with hearing impairment, conducted live painting demonstrations. This offered visitors a unique insight into her creative process.

“With this exhibition, we aim to inspire a greater appreciation for the beauty of inclusion and the importance of accessibility in the art world,” Saraiwala describes. The intended impact is to also foster a sense of connection and understanding.

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The artworks had nameplates with QR codes linking to additional information about the artworks and artists. There were also audio descriptions to ensure the exhibition's inclusivity and accessibility, and a range of prices to enable purchases by a wide segment of viewers.

Atypical Advantage has been featured on Shark Tank Season 2. It was also the winner of the National Startup Award under the social impact category by the Indian government.

Its exhibition shows how art can be democratised by providing a platform where artists with disabilities can showcase their talents alongside other artists. “This inclusive event celebrates creativity across all abilities, emphasising the power of art to unite and inspire,” Saraiwala signs off.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?

(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at the gallery.)