Rajiv Mehta talks to Karan Bhardwaj about taking a step forward to promote drawings and paintings by kids
How about a world where every kid is an artistIJ If you go by the vision of veteran interior designer Rajiv Mehta, the globe may well be painted by the amateur colours of young kids from every corner of this planet soon. The objective is to empower every child, be it a privilege or under-privileged one. To give wings to his long-nurtured idea, he launched kidgalleryone.com, an online platform where any child can upload the artworks. These paintings are affordable and are priced at Rs 2,500. “The idea is to promote kids’ art. There are many needy children, who are quite talented, but haven’t found a platform to showcase. This concept has just been launched and we want to strengthen and foster it,” said Mehta.
The designer, during his travels across the globe, realised the potential kids. “Even when you look at labourers’ children at the construction site, these kids would often pass time by drawings. Such drawings come with sea of opportunities. We want to make such things accessible to everybody,” he said.
The concept of kids’ art is at its nascent stage. There are not too many websites or other concrete platforms to promote it. In such a scenario, this website can only be dubbed as a stepping stone. Kids’ art has some advantages. “It not only empowers kids but also their families. Also, it spreads cross-cultural awareness. Our website has paintings from different cities like UP, West Bengal, Delhi, Haryana and others which show the diverse cultures these regions have. I perceive it as a movement where evey child must draw. Besides that, it will help in spotting talent. There are enormously gifted kids in this country. What they lack is an opportunity and a platform,” he said.
The concept may be new, but there is already a burgeoning demand. Mehta has some prestigious clients who choose alternative gift items such as kids’ art to distribute as gift. “It’s a fantastic option. One can gift it as a mark of remembrance, like call centres, where gifts are given as welcome and goodbye signs,” he said. Mehta also owns an interior design and architectural firm, Karigars.