Perishious’ marks the birth of his signature artivism. For 39-year-old Suvigya Sharma, who has been busy reviving the dying form of miniature art, taking the plunge into the world of NFTs was natural. Last year, he created NFTs of stunning works centred round wildlife, setting the near-extinct polar bear and rhinoceros against massive hyper-realistic 3D backgrounds. The proceeds from the upcoming auction of these artworks will go towards the conservation of these species.
Are NFTs and digital artworks satisfying, since his forte includes Pichwais, Tanjores, fresco wall paintings, and sandalwood sculptures? “Definitely,” says Sharma. “A lot of time is saved while creating digital art. The exposure and prospects for a digital artist are great today. I find NFTs both interesting and transformational.” ‘Perishious’ (a portmanteau word for precious and perish) comprises animals such as the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, giraffe, polar bear and sparrow. “Nilgai is on the cards. I’m working on the raccoon, panda, sloth bear and a few rare species of eagles,” he shares, adding that there will be amphibians and mammals in his upcoming NFTs that will be unveiled in the latter-half of 2023.
“Through my work, I want to give back to Nature as a human being first. Global warming is a growing concern that is highly impacting animal habitats and survival. Art has great power to trigger human emotions and bring change,” says Jaipur-based Sharma. He explains that the popular response to ‘Perishious’ has been phenomenal since its launch a year ago. It has got 11 stunning additions now. The pandemic was
a blessing in disguise since it gave him time and opportunity to work on his collection, three to four paintings at a time. It took two years to design the 24 artworks. “I’ve been promoting ‘Perishious’ through launches in prominent galleries worldwide. Auctions were held in Dubai in March this year.
Shilpi Madan for The Sunday Standard