Limitations to Opportunities: How Artists with Disabilities are Redefining Art
Published on: 02 Apr, 2023
Art is a universal form of expression that allows individuals to communicate their ideas, emotions, and perspectives to the world. However, the art world has been limited in its representation of individuals with disabilities, often overlooking their talents and contributions. However, this is changing slowly but steadily. Here are 5 artists who are making their mark in the art circuit.
1) Debarghya Chaudhuri
Meet Debarghya Chaudhuri, one of our talented artists with disabilities who has found his passion for art at a young age. Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, Debarghya has verbal and learning difficulties, but that hasn't stopped him from expressing himself through his art.
Debarghya's abstract and nature-inspired artworks are known for their bold colors and meaningful themes. Over the past three years, he has participated in numerous exhibitions and received recognition from experts and audiences alike. He was even invited to paint live at the Future Skills Conference hosted by ETHRWorld, showcasing his exceptional artistic skills to a wider audience.
2) Nehal Tiwari
Meet Nehal Tiwari, an Associate Consultant who's also a talented artist! Nehal's journey as an artist began in college when she discovered her passion for stone painting. Her love for painting has been her constant companion, helping her to overcome her challenges.
Nehal was diagnosed with Autism at the young age of two, but she didn't let her disability deter her. She used her passion for art as a form of expression and began painting stones with acrylic colours that take 15 days to dry. Her exquisite stone paintings have been displayed at exhibitions organized at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
“Stone paintings made me financially independent. I hope to sell my paintings in every country someday,” says Nehal. She's a true inspiration to many, showcasing that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.
3) Varun Naren
Meet Varun Naren, a multi-talented artist with autism and an entrepreneur from Mumbai. Despite his intellectual disability, Varun has found his passion for doodling, caricature, and baking, and has become an expert in these fields.
Using simple techniques that involve numbers, alphabets, and shapes, Varun has helped hundreds of employees from top corporations like Shell, Accenture, and Wipro to learn the art of doodling and caricature. He makes the sessions fun and interactive, and even judges the drawings, giving prizes to the top performers.
But Varun doesn't stop there. He also teaches baking through zoom and has started his own home bakery with a purely vegetarian menu. Varun's Delights offers a variety of delicious treats, including cakes, muffins, bread, tarts, cookies, and more. He has taken in orders for birthdays by making cakes, garlic bread and many more items. He has clients who regularly order from him and have encouraged him to learn to make more items to add to his skills.
Varun's dedication and hard work have paid off, and he has earned lakhs this year alone, proving that disabilities should never hold anyone back from pursuing their dreams.
Watch Video ?
4) Buddha Singh
Meet Budh Singh, a self-taught artist who has defied the odds to create stunning art pieces. Diagnosed with polio at 2, Budh has never let his disability hold him back. His latest masterpiece is a 55 sqft wall mural at Air Liquide's Delhi office. Titled 'Let's advance together', the mural depicts the company's values of respect and equality. Budh's use of acrylic, watercolours, and oil paints creates a rich, playful display of gradients and shadows.
His art is a testament to his talent and resilience, and an inspiration to all. As Budh says, "I don't feel I am disabled. If you worry about it too much, you will find the burden more difficult to bear."
5) Ansh Batra
Meet Ansh Batra, a 16-year-old artist with autism who expresses his emotions and feelings through colours. Ansh has sold over 500 paintings both in India and abroad and has had 55 exhibitions. Not only is Ansh a talented artist, but he's also a sports enthusiast, having won medals in skating, cycling, and swimming.
Ansh's journey began as a form of therapy and has led him to explore abstract art, allowing him to express himself freely without any boundaries. "The canvas is my playground without any boundaries, I am myself," says Ansh.
6) Aishwarya Kannan
Aishwarya A, an artist with spina bifida, has created a beautiful painting that depicts a carefree girl travelling around the world. Her artwork is a reflection of her own dream to explore the world despite the challenges she faces.
Despite her disability, Aishwarya has been unstoppable in pursuing her passion for art. Her talent has been recognized by many, including the Director of IIM-Banglore, Rishikesh T Krishnan
Aishwarya's story is a testament to the fact that limitations are only in the mind, and that with perseverance and determination, one can achieve anything. Her artwork is an inspiration to all of us to follow our dreams and never give up on our passions, no matter what challenges we may face.
We take pride in promoting artists, who bring their unique perspectives and creativity to the art world. Explore our collection of art by disabled artists and support their inspiring work. Join us in creating a more inclusive and diverse art community.
Atypical Advantage is India’s largest livelihood platform for Persons with Disabilities(PWD). Whether it is a singer looking for a show, a visual artist looking to sell their paintings, or job seekers with disabilities looking for career opportunities, it bridges the supply & demand side inefficiencies so that Persons with Disabilities can earn a dignified income. We have a large pool of 15,000+ talents with disabilities and have worked with 250+ corporates within a short span of 3 years. We were also featured on Shark Tank Season 2 and were declared the winner of the prestigious National Startup Award under the social impact category by the Union Government. For more information, visit our website here.
