LAY’S & SMILE FOUNDATION ADDS ‘ART’ TO HEARTWORK WITH A SPECIAL FUNDRAISER FOR THE UNSUNG HEROES

New Delhi: As a part of the on-going #Heartwork initiative, Smile Foundation in partnership with LAY’S has launched a special exhibition ‘Artwork for Heartwork’. The initiative brings together India’s leading artists and celebrities to generate funds for procuring hygiene kits for the numerous unsung heroes like farmers, truck drivers, shopkeepers and many more such unsung heroes who have been working tirelessly during these challenging times. Through the initiative the artist community, which includes college students from National Institute of Fine Arts (NIFA), has come together to contribute towards these unsung heroes who have brought joy to the entire country. All the artwork will be showcased at one of India’s leading curated platform Art&Found (www.artandfound.co) and all the sale proceeds from the exhibition will go to Smile Foundation to support the unsung heroes.

The initiative brings together art pieces of 100 local artists including painters, photographers, and digital artists as well as close to 10 celebrities all of whom have made and donated original artwork for the “Artwork for Heartwork” cause. Some of the renowned artists include names like Shubhika from Papa Don’t Preach, Sabeena Karnik, Aniruddh Mehta, Hari & Deepti, Shiva Nallaperumal, among others. The initiative is also being supported by some of the popular Bollywood celebrities including Sonu Sood, Arshad Warsi, Chitrangada Singh, Karan Tacker, Manushi Chhillar, and Ishita Dutta, who have contributed sketches, acrylic work on canvas, charcoal work on paper and doodles to help raise funds for the initiative.

Depicting artwork through giclee print, Aniruddh Mehta said, “I believe that sometimes a simple and elementary message is powerful enough to have an impact on the viewers. Supporting this initiative, I used the same approach to make something abstract yet universal, relatable and has a meaningful impact. The core intent behind this artwork is to induce positivity, with the use of blocky playful typography rendered in a bright pastel colour palette. Artwork for Heartwork is a great initiative and I am happy to be aligning my skill with the incredible work being done by Smile Foundation and LAY’S to thank and support the unsung heroes of India”.

Talking about the initiative, famous illustrator, and graphic designer Sabneena Karnik said, “My inspiration of this artwork comes from the fruits of harvest. I wanted to thank our unsung heroes who ensured a smooth supply of essentials and worked relentlessly to bring joy to millions during these unprecedented times. The ‘Artwork for Heartwork’ presented me with the right opportunity to do so, as it brings an artist’s perspective to the cause. I am beyond honored to extend gratitude towards these heroes through my art”.

Sharing her inspiration behind the artwork, Srishti Gupta Roy commented, “For the ‘Artwork for Heartwork’ initiative, I wanted to create a maximal, colourful, and playful artwork in my signature style. Hence, I kept a symbolic heart in the middle of the composition to show that no matter what the pursuit is, the heart and passion of it lies at the centre, much like this initiative. It is great to see LAY’S and Smile Foundation celebrating the #Heartwork of unsung heroes of India. I felt truly humbled to have a hands-on opportunity like this and make a difference through my art in the lives of these heroes.

Known for her vibrant designs, Shubhika from Papa Don’t Preach, said “When art and heart comes together, they create a combination of big energy and delicate butterfly effect. Just like music can save the world, I believe art can have a similar impact. For this special initiative, I created a wall art in the shape of a bag with 3D embellishments and zari handwork. I hope this artwork celebrates the Heartwork and true dedication of our unsung heroes as each one of us holds the power to make a difference in someone’s life with a little art backed by a deep big heart”.

Expressing his thoughts, Aditya Mehta, Founder CEO, Art&Found said, “Artwork for Heartwork’ is an initiative that celebrates gratitude, reminding us to not take for granted those who work behind the scenes. The team at Art&Found is incredibly grateful to bring to life ‘Artwork for Heartwork’ – from briefing and problem-solving with the teams at Smile and Lay’s to working closely with artists and have their art sold to donate hygiene kits to unsung heroes, it’s an amazing full circle. This project has not only let artists create something meaningful but also be part of a great cause one would be proud to be associated with, and that which will be remembered for a long time.”

Commenting on this creative partnership, Dilen Gandhi, Senior Director and Category Head – Foods, PepsiCo India said, “Art is one of the strongest forms of expression and holds the power to drive action. With the Artwork for Heartwork initiative, we are channelizing the power of visual medium to create awareness and thank the tireless effort of numerous unsung heroes. We started the #Heartwork journey with music and have now transitioned to tapping creative visual art formats for this heartwarming campaign. We’re glad to partner with Smile Foundation and Art&Found to spearhead this heartfelt cause and support the community.”

You can visit the dedicated gallery here http://artandfound.co/artworkforheartwork, and upon successful purchase, the selected artwork will be delivered to the buyer.

LAY’S Heartwork campaign expresses gratitude towards those unseen heroes who work relentlessly against all odds to bring joy to millions across the country. At a time when consumers could not step out, what would have been considered routine work was indeed Heartwork. In this campaign, the brand has partnered with Smile Foundation to provide hygiene kits to over 40,000 families and got leading singers to hum the heartfelt ode ‘Ye Heartwork Kehlata Hai’ to applaud the efforts of the unsung heroes. LAY’S has also collaborated with over 40 leading brands across the industry to thank them for their work during the lockdown phase in India by sharing special virtual branded LAY’S #Heartwork packs.