Seven months ago, Devanshi Kejriwal decided to hold an exhibition of her paintings to raise funds for the underprivileged children at Mumbai's municipal schools. On Tuesday, in association with Salaam Bombay foundation, she finally showcased her art that did not have a price tag but a sponsor tag. The event was held at The Village at World Trade Centre.
Each painting revealed how many and which children will have their education sponsored if one bought it and more than 70 per cent of the paintings had been sold by the end of the day. The paintings were priced between Rs20,000 and Rs70,000.
Only 18-years-old but Kejriwal's art speaks of her maturity. Bearing the burdened of her school syllabus, she toiled hard to create 31 canvases for charity out of which 28 paintings were sold and more than Rs12 lakh raised.
"I used to teach English to 7th and 8th grade students at various schools when I was in the 9th standard, with the help of Salaam Bombay. I decided to take up this venture when I was confident about my own art. I want to do something for the those who want to complete their education," said Kejriwal, who has not had a formal training in art.
Kejriwal says her inspiration comes from her mother who is also a painter. The exhibition is named 'Introspection' and is divided into three themes which are divinity, desert and deja vu where Kejriwal delves into spirituality, her roots from Rajasthan and her very own interpretation of Mumbai. "Painting is a hobby and don't want to make money out of it," said Kejriwal who said that the main reason behind the exhibit was for the benefit of children who are not as privileged as her to get an education.
The founder of Salaam Bombay foundation, Padmini Somani, said: "She came to us to be a volunteer and help students but she went beyond lip-service and showed commitment and drive. It is possible for children to move beyond school and other activities to do something for people who are less fortunate. This event is not about buying a painting, it's about sponsoring a child's education," she said.
Devanshi Kejriwal wishes to pursue business while keeping her love for paintings alive. All the proceeds from the exhibition will go to the Salaam Bombay Media academy.
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