Shilo Shiv Suleman needs no introduction, especially if you belong to the artist community on a broader level. For people who haven’t heard of her, the young contemporary artist is a soul intrigued with magical realism and is well known for having an illustrious career promoting art for social change.
It is reassuring to witness artists who take their flair beyond art studios and galleries, creating a revolution with their craft. Shilo does just that- igniting a flame of resilience in the face of uncertainty, revealing unconventional beauty that we don’t speak about and uniting voices in spite of the times we’re asked to remain silent.
Besides, the artist uses her creative bent to introduce art and storytelling through technology. In 2011, at TED Global, Shilo presented Khoya, an interactive app for children that established the artist’s fascination with magic. The app is not a video game but leads you into a world of fairies and magic, connecting kids with the likes of nature.
Also the founder of The Fearless Collective, with her community of 100 artists and more, she takes art through narrow streets of the world. Through wall murals, the community helps underprivileged communities, artists and activists explore their imagination. Shilo’s objective for The Fearless Collective is to highlight the many concerns that these communities have to deal with. Among discussing issues of women empowerment and equal rights, the organization also breaks the shackles of gender regression, appealing to the general crowd to replace fear with love.
Not too long ago, Shilo Shiv Suleman was featured by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. She was seen speaking with celebrity interior designer Vinita Chaitanya in the light of their Art Meets Street series. She took her creativity to the streets of Jaipur- the city of love and vibrancy. She couldn’t have found a better place to imprint her expression and help restore street art and magic. The collaborative effort to make space for the extraordinary was imperative like the handover of paint brushes to the locals, watching them paint their imaginations, marvelling at Dalit women gleefully dance for no particular reason and witnessing the local community of obscured artists come together. I wonder, and even second her notion, why is Banksy the first artist that comes to our mind when we speak of street art? Why are India’s local community artists not included in the list of world renowned art aficionados?
Artists like Shilo Shiv Suleman and many others need encouragement and support from the community that will enable them to march on with the stupendous work they do. One Page Spotlight is a strong believer and advocate of #Vocalforlocal. Join us as we celebrate street art and powerful artists who never settle and who never cease to question.
