Art print sale aids those suffering India’s coronavirus crisis

88 leading artists and photographers have donated works to Creative Seva, a £100 print sale benefiting charities on the front line of India’s devastating second wave

Photo of sadhus dressed in orange sitting on the floor eating from round plates
Sadhu Dinner at Kumbh Mela, India, by Alistair Taylor-Young
(Image credit: Alistair Taylor-Young)

Creative Seva was conceived after its founder Jam Patel witnessed from afar India suffering the brutal second wave of Covid-19. In response, the British fashion photographer-turned-director sought a means of raising funds for initiatives saving lives on the ground in India. 

In Sikhism and Hinduism, the word 'Seva' means ‘selfless service’, an act performed with no expectation of reward. In contemporary times, these acts of pure altruism are perhaps few and far between but have found an essential role in a pandemic-gripped world.

Photo of blue and white writing against a yellow background under a blue sky

Hind, 2013, by Himali Singh Soin

(Image credit: Himali Singh Soin)

‘The call to action was immediately met by the generous spirit of all the wonderful contributors you see on this site,’ Patel says of the initiative. ‘They have kindly donated their work to raise the urgent funds needed to save lives today.’ 

In response to Patel’s call to action, 88 emerging and world-renowned international artists rallied to contribute their work to a charity print sale. These included Steve McCurry, Lorena Lohr, Himali Singh Soin, Inez and Vinoodh, Rankin, Julia Noni Mary McCartney, Yelena Yemchuk, Takuya Uchiyama, Davey Adesida, Bibi Borthwick, Josh Olins and a photograph from the initiative’s founder.

Photo of a naked body covered in plastic film

Beauty Papers, February 2016, by Julia Noni

(Image credit: Julia Noni)

Notable pieces include Alistair Taylor-Young’s evocative, Sadhu Dinner at Kumbh Mela, India, Julia Noni’s 'Beauty Papers, February 2016' and Himali Singh Soin’s poetic, nostalgic and colour-drenched Hind, 2013. 

The sale is hosted on the Creative Seva website, with each photograph limited to 50 prints and available at an accessible £100 including worldwide shipping. 100% of the proceeds will be divided equally and sent to three charities working on the front line of India’s accelerating crisis. 

These comprise Khalsa Aid, an international NGO providing humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones, who are distributing oxygen concentrators in Delhi; the Hemkunt Foundation, who are providing oxygen cylinders around Delhi NCR, and Feeding From Far, conceived at the start of the pandemic, who are working with NGO Prayatna to distribute food in Mumbai to those severely affected by Covid-19.

Photo of a person holding a stick with multiple bags of pink candy floss attached under a blue sky

Candy Floss at Kumbh Mela, India, by Alistair Taylor-Young

(Image credit: Alistair Taylor-Young)

Photo of red flowers and green foliage

Red by Agnes Lloyd-Platt

(Image credit: Agnes Lloyd-Platt)

Photo of birds in cages against a blue background

Untitled, by Andrew Jacobs

(Image credit: Andrew Jacobs)

Photo of a couple about to kiss on a bed with red sheets and peach headboard

A Couple Kissing, by Bex Day

(Image credit: Bex Day)

Image of a blue and red flower against a peach background

Flower 8500, by Billy Kidd

(Image credit: Billy Kidd)

Black and white photo of a hand adjusting the dial on a wooden radio

Mali- Bamako Radio, by Bryony Shearmur

(Image credit: Bryony Shearmur)

Photo of three people in red lipstick with their tongues placed on one another

Image by Takuya Uchiyama

(Image credit: Takuya Uchiyama)

Black and white photo of multiple people standing in rows wearing black and white outfits and black circular hats

Untitled, by Paolo Zambaldi

(Image credit: Paolo Zambaldi)

Photo of two shirtless people with their curly, wind blown hair covering their faces against a pink background

Swell, by Parker Woods

(Image credit: Parker Woods)

Photo of a building with colourful sections that curves at the top

Capitol Complex, 2018 by Tara Darby

(Image credit: Tara Darby)

Black and white photo of a person with short hair and a white flower

Angok and the Rose, 2018, by Inez & Vinoodh

(Image credit: Inez & Vinoodh)

Photo of a person in a blue coat with thin pink fabric covering their face and coat

Couture Story - Paris - Daria, by David Dunan

(Image credit: David Dunan)

INFORMATION

The Creative Seva for India print sale plans to run until mid-June. Prints are available to purchase for £100 each at creativeseva.com

Harriet Lloyd-Smith was the Arts Editor of Wallpaper*, responsible for the art pages across digital and print, including profiles, exhibition reviews, and contemporary art collaborations. She started at Wallpaper* in 2017 and has written for leading contemporary art publications, auction houses and arts charities, and lectured on review writing and art journalism. When she’s not writing about art, she’s making her own.