Local Indian artist Visithra Manikam is finally getting the global recognition she deserves, including having three of her artworks snapped up online by renowned American rapper Snoop Dogg.
This after being denied support and facing discrimination back home for six long years, for her work being "not good enough" and too "Indian", reported The Vibes.
The said artworks were sold with non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are pieces of digital content linked to the blockchain, the digital database underpinning cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum.
Non-NFT assets are fungible, meaning they can be replaced or exchanged with another identical one of the same value, much like a dollar bill, while NFTs, on the other hand, are unique and not mutually interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same.
Speaking to The Vibes, Visithra said that prior to discovering NFTs earlier this year, she struggled to receive recognition in Malaysia.
"Very few Malaysian Indian artists get opportunities in the top Malaysian art galleries, nor in government-funded exhibitions. Cendana (Cultural Economy Development Agency) had a show in 2019 with 42 artists, but only one was Indian.
"I’ve been in shows where I’m the token Indian. Between January and September 2019, there were 71 exhibitions in the top nine galleries – only six shows featured Malaysian Indian artists," she said.
"When I brought this up, I was told my art wasn’t good enough, it was too ‘Indian’. However, at the same time, we see those who culturally appropriate our art and culture getting solo exhibitions with these galleries," Visithra added.
Career Picks Up
She then started participating in exhibitions outside of Malaysia to gain recognition, including in the Philippines, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. She held her first NFT exhibition in New York last September.
Visithra sold her artworks to Snoop Dogg on the NFT OpenSea platform, which is currently the biggest international NFT platform.
In fact, she is also Malaysia's biggest-selling artist on the platform, with more than 190 collectors from the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Poland, China, Latin America, and Europe, among others.
Recalling the purchase, Visithra said Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. sent her a direct message as an anonymous collector to talk about her art.
Only after the discussion gained traction that he revealed who he was, and picked three of her works.
According to the report, Visithra's art collection has accumulated approximately RM1.58 million in volume traded, which refers to the sales of NFTs on the primary and secondary by owners. Secondary sales will provide royalty payments to the artist.
Visithra's art has also been shared by Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon, and celebrity talk show host Jimmy Fallon follows her on the platform.
Compared to the traditional circuit where artists do not receive any royalty payment when their artworks are resold at auctions, and the galleries can take up to 50 per cent of an artist's earnings, every secondary sale on an NFT platform would earn the artist 10 per cent in royalties.
This allows artists to independently sell their art, at the same time, ensuring lifetime royalties, Visithra noted.
She urged local Indian artists to explore, and learn about the NFT industry, to widen their exposure and reach.
Source & Photo source: The Vibes
Mon Nov 29 2021


Beware: The Danger of Joining Non-Beneficial WhatsApp Groups
Sometimes, we join WhatsApp groups that are not really significant to us. This is the danger of doing so...

Meet the 69-Year-Old Lift Operator 'Guiding' People for Four Decades
At a time when most youngsters complain about being confined in a cubicle for eight hours a day, 69-year-old G. Kannipan has been working in a supermarket lift for the last 40 years, and he has no plans to quit anytime soon.

Meet The Selfless Woman Who Raised 45 Children As Her Own
Jasmine Selvarani Emmanuel has 45 children calling her mother, but none of them came from her womb. She and her late husband dedicated their lives to adopting children who needed love. This is their selfless story...

Food Going To Waste? Call the Food Rangers!
What do you do when you don't want excess food from your function to go to waste? Call the Food Rangers of course!

High Court Denies Indira Gandhi's Bid to Cite IGP for Contempt
The Ipoh High Court today denied leave to kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gandhi to begin contempt proceedings against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for his failure to locate and return her daughter Prasana Diksa.

Malaysian Singer-Songwriter Heerraa Scores Double Victory at US Music Awards Competition!
Malaysian singer-songwriter Heerraa Ravindran has scored a double victory at the InterContinental Music Awards Competition (ICMA) held last Sunday.

Meet the Man Who Has Not Bathed in 22 Years!
Dharamdev Ram, 62, from Bihar, India, has not bathed for 22 years! But he has stuck to his decision for a noble cause, and not because he's lazy. Here's why...

World's Sweetest Job: Company Looking for 'Chief Candy Officer' With RM28k Monthly Salary
A Canada-based candy company is offering what is probably the world's sweetest job - a work-from-home 'Chief Candy Officer' that pays a salary of US$78,000 (RM347,646) a year.

Controversial Preacher Zamri Vinoth Charged with Hurting, Threatening Woman
Controversial Muslim preacher Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu has been charged with hurting and threatening to murder a woman.

'Nuisance': Nepal Bans TikTokers at Popular Heritage Sites
Tired by the nuisance posed by wannabe stars, Nepal has imposed a ban on TikTokers at some of its popular heritage sites.

புராணங்கள் கண்ட காவியக் காதல்
உண்மை காதலுக்கு நம் இதிகாச புராணங்களும் பல கதைகளைச் சொல்லுகின்றன.

Five Popular Deepavali Releases Of Superstar Rajinikanth!
Check out Superstar Rajinikanth's best Deepavali releases of all time:

Beware: The Danger of Joining Non-Beneficial WhatsApp Groups
Sometimes, we join WhatsApp groups that are not really significant to us. This is the danger of doing so...

The judges are so impressed with the contestants as they gave impressive performances.

Watch the experience of contestants rehearsing with live band.

Seems like Lalaboii impressed Yogi B during the recording. But how?

Episode 11 is on fire as it’s Semi Finals 2! All contestants give their best to secure their place in the Finale

“Hogaiya Hogaiya…Hogaiya!” Watch the behind the scenes of the episode 11 to know what it means.

Astro Go Shop celebrates National Day with ‘Go Gemilang Sale’
Celebrate Malaysia’s National Day with Go Shop, with discount vouchers of up to RM112 off through the ‘Go Gemilang Sale’ from 8 August till 18 September 2022.

Live Action Bursts into Life in KL; Malaysians Stunned
It all began when visitors at the Lalaport outlet in Bukit Bintang were ‘invited’ to hit a gong on display…