Paint by numbers

They’re young, audacious and relatable—illustrators today are using social media to not just rack up the likes, shares and followers, but to introduce new audiences to art and take its engagement to viral proportions, finds Radhika Iyengar

- Radhika Iyengar

At 17, digital artist and activist Priyanka Paul created contemporary goddesses. Inspired by poet Harnidh Kaur’s Pantheon, Paul’s modern Kali was “a badass brown girl” with piercings who stood up against misogyny and sexism. Paul wanted to disrupt the idea of divine femininity and present them as “modern-day epitomes of feminist liberation,” she says. The series was widely circulated and appreciated and is a telling example of how art is being consumed in India today. The digital age has been a game-changer for artists like Paul. Platforms like Instagram have transformed into virtual galleries, allowing them to independently exhibit their works to a growing empire of followers. It has orchestrated the rise of a new tribe of illustrators—young and unafraid to make a statement. From media conglomerates and brands to publishing houses and galleries, everyone is teaming up with these illustrators, whose subversive styles and unconventional palettes are breaking new ground and bringing in new audiences.

ON POINT

Art is an extension of their personality. Paul’s illustrations, for instance, are marked by a bold irreverence for patriarchal, heteronormative, and casteist structures. At the same time, they celebrate womanhood, body positivity, and dialogue on mental health. “I think my art is popular because apart from being good work, it’s also my voice,” says Paul, who is now 22. “My artistic sensibilities have always been rooted in making art approachable and starting a conversation.”