All hands on deck

Art by Priyadarshini Kacker

In May, when COVID cases continued to spike across the country and doomscrolling became a part of our daily lives, Ahmedabad-based copywriter and founder of the online art platform, The Artlet Poetry, Nidhi Shah, found refuge in beautiful digital illustrations posted by various artists online, which would brighten up a gloomy day.

But the idea for Cards for a Cause (CFAC) only struck her thanks to the endless rounds of playing animal flashcards with her three-year-old niece. "Playing cards is a delightful activity. I thought, 'Why not combine the joy of it with a love for visual art by collaborating with artists and releasing a deck of cards, which not only lifts your spirits in quarantine but also supports a cause?'" shares Shah.

Each deck has 55 cards. Picss courtesy/cardsforacause.in

That was all it took for her to get in touch with Rhea Patel, founder of Cliq, an advertising start-up, to kickstart their idea. Over the next two months, the duo brought on board 55 Indian artists to create unique and original artworks that illustrated their feelings in the pandemic and dealt with the theme of isolation.

Needless to say, every card in the deck is a canvas not only filled with colour, but also a spectrum of emotions. From lazing on your couch and cuddling your pet, to enjoying a steaming bowl of ramen or lying naked on your bed with no cares in the world, the vivid digital works by the 55 artists showcase distinct styles and are relatable, as we discovered.

Rhea Patel and Nidhi Shah

"While the coordination was certainly a challenge, the response from the artists was phenomenal. Since everyone was dealing with this pandemic in their own unique way, their distinct perspectives, coupled with the vast detailing scope of digital illustrations, added an interesting value to each card," adds Patel.

Each deck of cards costs R700, and the profits from the sale support NGO Give India's campaign, India Fights Corona. Every deck of cards sold feeds 10 meals to those in need. The campaign that took off in June has already sold 500 decks, facilitating 5,000 meals.

Cards for a Cause is witnessing a rise in demand as the artistic deck of cards has become a hot-selling gifting and collectable item for art and game enthusiasts. "The success of the campaign has sparked several new opportunities for collaborations with young illustrators. We will continue to brainstorm and execute newer projects in the future to help promote Indian illustrators while also supporting causes," signs
off Shah.

Log on to cardsforacause.in
Cost Rs 700

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