Art is a union of thoughts and experiences, wherein colours from the artist’s palette bring alive an emotion on the canvas. For some, it is a passion, while for some, it becomes a career. Meet Rishika Tannan, a 16-year-old budding artist, who sees art as a medium of creative self-expression.
Sakurais Rishika’s first-ever public showcase of her painting skills. She has been working on this for the last two years and is now exhibiting her solo at the Coomaraswamy Hall located in the CSMVS Museum,Mumbai on 9th October, 2021.
Exploring Expressions
Colours have always fascinated Rishika from a very young age, and painting that has been a hobby since childhood has now evolved to become her passion. A Grade-11 student studying at Bombay International School, Rishika has travelled from a young age and possesses diverse linguistic abilities in German, Spanish, and Mandarin. This very exposure to diverse cultures inspires her to express her thoughts, through art.
‘Sakura’ in Japanese means ‘Cherry blossoms’, representing a new beginning after a long cold winter; an effort towards keeping the hope within, alive. Partnering with the ‘Concern India Foundation’ and using her gift of art as a tool to empower underprivileged girl children in channelizing their skills and creativity, Sakurais the culmination of Rishika’s efforts to symbolize the onset of hope and new beginnings, in a post COVID world. An artistic outcome of Rishika’s conviction, that hope is an abstract emotion that drives us all to be empathetic, yet face the challenges that come our way, with a smile.
The Sakura show exhibits her paintings showcasing different cities, each with their unique beauty, but also symbolizing harmony and togetherness around the world. Using the medium of oil on canvas, Rishika hopes to evoke a sense of calm and aims to add colour to the lives of people viewing it.
When an artist paints, they pour their soul onto the canvas
In a small attempt to showcase the dawn of hope, Rishika has been teaching art to 40 underprivileged girl children. She sees the world in a million shades of colours and strives to express her gratitude for being able to capture moments through her art.
The journey of discovery
Rishika has embarked on a journey of self-expression and skill development through art. For her, art is a wonderful way of expressing her joy and positivity, through colours. This young artist is a firm believer that by providing children with the right tools and teaching them to enhance their creative skills through workshops, she can make a small, but impactful difference in their lives. In the hope of making a living for themselves, Rishika provides the girls with the necessary framework to create a self-sustainable income model, while encouraging them to enjoy the process of learning to express themselves, through Art.
For Rishika the impact her art can create, overrides any commercial gain for herself. Says the artist “I want to provide these children with a happy and positive environment so that they can become independent and blossom into young self-reliant adults. Art holds the power to change lives and this is my way of giving back to the community.”
Being a socially responsible artist and combining her love for art, Rishika envisions providing education that empowers, through the medium of art. Youth are the beacon of change and it is indeed inspiring to see young adults, channelize their efforts towards charity and helping the underprivileged.
