Optimystics of virtual goodness

In a bid to break away from viscous memes and online trolls, a bunch of young Bengalureans are adapting a healthy trend of spreading positivity and kindness through social media posts. InstaMeet, a fun community comprising art Instagrammers, aims to bring about a message that pretty much syncs with the fact that spreading little cheer goes a long way in making a world of difference. Their recently held initiative at the Cubbon Park found takers by the hordes. And looks like, the fire in these arty instagrammers to spread an iota of goodness isn’t simmering down anytime soon! We find out more... 

“I think there’s enough and more negativity and hate in the world right now which transcends onto the online world. We are all so quick to judge, to disapprove, and to hate. We all have our own demons, and we are all battling low self-esteem issues, self-doubt, low confidence, insecurities, etc so I try to normalise these things through my work by talking about them,” shares Mounica Tata, a freelance city-based illustrator. Mounica recently teamed up with Kaveri Gopalakrishnan, a designer and  artist to celebrate ‘Kind comments,’ which entailed a small group of art Instagrammers, putting their creative foot forward; writing notes and making doodles of kindness dedicated to people who have inspired them. While the responses were encouraging enough, Monica plans on getting more incisive with her Insta artworks. But that isn’t a first. “I did a series a while ago called End the Shame and Scarred for Life which were about accepting and embracing very normal, biological things like grey hair, acne scars, stretch marks, uneven breasts, wrinkles etc on which women get shamed on a daily basis. 

I don’t create content with the intention of bringing about a change but with a hope it will atleast start something,” she adds.

Echoing similar lines is art and photography czar Supratim Bhattacharya, for whom it was about being grateful to Mother Nature, and spreading thoughtful messages of the importance of preservation. “I think my love for travel, nature and photography pushed me to use Instagram as a platform to spread awareness and get people to stop for a minute and look around and appreciate the environment as long as it’s there,” he shares. Emphasising on the importance of  making adequate noise — for the right reasons, through the right channel, Kaveri Gopalakrishnan says, “With things like Sarahah and memes, it’s easier to be mean. I’m planning on spreading compassion and love for art in my upcoming Instagram series for the Inktober. Hopefully, likes aside, I wish people get inspired and think twice before they post online and if they do, have something nice to say, “ she states.

Supratim

Giving us a peek into what’s next, Mounica says, “There’s so much pressure on men to look a certain way, behave a certain way, put on a tough exterior, and not be open about their emotions. I think, there’s a lot they (men) also have to deal with, and my upcoming series will hopefully make people  empathetic towards both genders.”