Finding meaning in abstract strokes

HYDERABAD:  Recently, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu was all smiles as she posed with an abstract painting which she had painted. “One of those days... If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint’, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced,” she captioned the picture on Instagram.  

The actor was endorsing ‘HopeKosmos’ an Art Project by abstract artist Manohar Chiluveru, which pays tribute to the people affected by Covid-19. Samantha’s painting, along with those by many others, will be showcased on November 6 at Shrishti Art Gallery on Jubilee Hills Road No. 10.  

“The paintings are still in the making. The collective paintings, part of a global project, will have a continental presence. These will go on sale and the proceeds will be used to organise record-breaking events for abstract paintings in January,” says Manohar.

“The project aims to engage with the community and use art as a medium to heal and bring people together and promote hope,” Samantha wrote in her post.  “Be free and paint,” commented Aashritha Daggubati, daughter of actor Daggubati Venkatesh. Actress Lakshmi Manchu also wrote: “I’m so glad you got to go and have fun, baby.” 

Lakshmi Nambiar, city-based investment banker and an avid art collector who owns Shrishti Art Gallery, is hosting the exhibit. “Lakshmi Nambiar invited Samantha to support the project. We called the actor to share her experience on canvas and she has done a marvellous paint job. The experience was so much fun that Samantha and the others ended up spending more time than schedules,” says Manohar.   

The core idea of HopeKosmos is to make people realise that they must do something creative and make it a part of their everyday life, just like working out and practising yoga, he says. “Being an artist, I believe that art is something that anyone can do,” adds Manohar. 

A few days ago, Samantha and fashion designer Shilpa Reddy had been for the Char Dham Yatra. The two friends shared breathtaking photos of the devotion-filled trip to Uttarakhand.

‘Hope Kosmos’ an Art Project by abstract artist Manohar Chiluveru has been in the spotlight for all the right reasons. The initiative pays tribute to the people affected by Covid-19, and our celebs can’t stop gushing about it