Kalaigal Naam: An artistic space for recognition

CHENNAI: Passionate about art since her childhood, but had to choose a niche career because of family pressure, Emimal left behind her corporate job for her love for art. In 2022, she started the Kalaigal Naam, an art community working towards the recognition of artists.

“I am an MBA graduate. I was not satisfied with my job and decided to turn my passion into my profession. Kalaigal Naam is a space filled with like-minded individuals, who work together to get the recognition they deserve,” starts Emimal, founder of Kalaigal Naam. They started their journey at a government school in Coimbatore. “This project is close to our hearts and the biggest learning. We collaborated with an NGO and it was free of cost. Instead of the regular alphabets and pictures of animals, we came up with innovative themes like forest, galaxy and train for different classrooms,” says the 27-year-old.

Thanks to social media and information spread through word of mouth, Kalaigal Naam has gained huge popularity among aesthetes across the country. After making a place for themselves in the field, they started conducting workshops and art camps, to which participants came from places like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Namakkal, Vellore, Salem and Madurai. They have also conducted a world record with 170 artists completing 170 artworks in two hours.

“To make kids come out of the trap that the mobile phones have created, we ask them to do artwork and also give them gifts in return at wedding and birthday functions,” shares the artist. “Art helps people in many forms. It releases their mental stress,” she adds.

Before each project, the team does a field analysis and their works are based on the neighbourhood. “Our aim is to beautify the place. People should stop, observe and appreciate our works. We realised that if we give our 100 per cent efforts, dedication and determination, we will definitely taste the flavour of victory,” Emimal states.

Talking about their work in a government school in Mogappair West, Emimal explains that they wanted to break the stereotypical design patterns. “My team came up with creative illustrations and doodles of different subjects,” she elucidates.

The appreciation for art is on the rise among youngsters nowadays. “I am happy that the trend is expanding in Chennai. Especially after the pandemic, the expansion is multifold. However, there is more way to go. We can witness many youngsters entering the space, but consistency is the key,” Emimal concludes.