The new online print sale raising funds for India’s Covid-19 crisis

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Vivek Vadoliya Bharat Sikka, and Prarthna Singh are amongst the photographers donating work to the cause

India is facing one of the deadliest surges in Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began. On Saturday 01 May, 401,993 new cases were recorded, along with 3,523 new deaths. Hospitals, as well as morgues, are overwhelmed – a national shortage of oxygen concentrators causing many preventable deaths. “I have been absolutely distraught watching the news, and felt compelled to create something,” explains Vivek Vadoliya. The photographer, along with fellow London-based Indians Heta Fell and Danielle Pender, have created a new platform to help raise funds for hospitals across the country in crisis. 

“We noticed that people really wanted to help, but didn’t know how,” Vadoliya explains. The trio got together and organised Art For India, a new website selling photographic prints in order to raise funds for Mission Oxygen, a group of entrepreneurs importing oxygen concentrators and distributing them to Indian hospitals.

“Creating this sale felt like a powerful way to bring everyone together and give them a tangible way to support India,” says Vadoliya. The prints included are from a range of artists, both from India and the Indian diaspora. Bharat Sikka, Prarthna Singh, Kalpesh Lathigra, Ashish Shah and Avani Rai have all donated their own images for the sale. “Everyone we reached out to said yes immediately, and have been incredibly supportive,” Vadoliya explains. “We are all united around such an urgent cause. It’s been beautiful to see the sense of community amongst the artists involved.” Available for one week, until the end of Sunday 09 May, 100 per cent of the proceeds shall be donated to Mission Oxygen.

© Devashish Gaur.

Art for India can be found here, with the print sale ending 09 May.

Mission Oxygen can be found here.

Isaac Huxtable

Isaac Huxtable is a freelance writer, as well as a curator at the arts consultancy Artiq. Prior to this, He studied a BA in History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, followed by roles at British Journal of Photography and The Photographers' Gallery. His words have featured in British Journal of Photography, Elephant Magazine, Galerie Peter Sellim, The Photographers' Gallery, and The South London Gallery. He is particularly interested in documentary ethics, race, gender, class, and the body.