AFM provides local artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, art studios, and others to come together and channel their talents into meaningful endeavours
Published Date – 07:40 AM, Tue – 26 September 23
Photo: Surya Sridhar
Hyderabad: Revealing the vibrant tapestry of creativity, the Art-Flow Movement (AFM), the community platform, is paving the way for collaborative artistic expression in Hyderabad. Through a diverse array of community-driven projects, AFM provides local artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, art studios, and others to come together and channel their talents into meaningful endeavours.
Founded by artist and curator Nickil Snow in August last year, the community engages in diverse art projects, addressing one theme at a time. Followed by the success of their debut project around Mental Health in December last year, the platform is presently embarking on its second project “Art-Flow Walls 2023”.
“The platform brings together people of all ages, experiences, and artistic backgrounds who share a common passion for creativity and community. In my view, art should have a natural and spontaneous flow, coupled with a sense of originality and honesty,” says Nickil, on why he named it the Art-flow project.
The “Art-Flow Walls 2023” project centres on the core theme of “Embrace Equity”. With this initiative, AFM intends to spark conversations around the themes of equity, inclusion, and social justice through the transformative power of art.
The project will feature 12 artist teams working on 12 walls over the course of 12 weekends, hosted in various schools, houses, and studios, across Hyderabad.
“Following our initial project, when I had a conversation about feminism and equity with my mother, I noticed that even she had contradictory views. This inspired me to take on this project. Through the journey, my mother’s perspective has evolved positively. It’s remarkable how art holds immense potential for altering viewpoints and expanding horizons,” Nickil explains.
Nickil, a college dropout, had quite an interesting journey himself. From traversing India penniless, creating portraits and stories, and working as an assisting director for independent films, eventually inspired him to establish AFM.
“There’s a compromise of free flow of art in films. I wanted a medium where art would be authentic. I was quite surprised by the responses here as I was not aware that there’s this abundant talent in Hyderabad,” the aspiring filmmaker added.
While painting works have successfully concluded on four out of 12 walls, including those at Alwal’s Adika Cafe, Bhavan’s Sri Ramakrishna Vidyalaya in Sainikpuri, Econest Farmhouse, and Sri Homes Apartment in Kompally, the teams are actively seeking permissions to paint remaining walls in the city.
Additionally, an anthology book, much like the one published after their first project, featuring the art, poetry, and theme discussions will be launched during the project’s conclusion, probably around December.
