Space for art of all shades, even grey

WHEN 16-year-old Laya Mathikshara conducted her first workshop on digital art, a participant from an HIV-positive family said, "I drew a black and grey rainbow as I was at a phase where I felt like I couldn't communicate or express my emotions to anyone.

- NIRUPAMA VISWANATHAN

" This was the time Laya understood that not all rainbows are meant to be colourful. Another participant at the workshop said the paintings gave her an outlet and freedom to express herself without feeling judged.

When the world came to a standstill during the pandemic, Laya, all of 12 years, found her solace in making digital art and 3D animation. Confined to her home, she followed her passion for art through online tutorials. Today, at just 16, Laya is not only a budding digital artist but also a young entrepreneur minting her art to 'non-fungible tokens' (NFTs) with remarkable success. (NFTs are digital assets that are stored on a blockchain and represent realworld objects like art, music, videos, and in-game items). What started as a casual interest for Laya quickly evolved into a profound passion.