Instagram artist addresses stigma of talking about mental health by making art with ‘honest messages’ that draws on her own experience of suffering a breakdown

Activist artist Srayva Attaluri uses social media to share art that challenges the stigma about mental health, champions body confidence and promotes diversity

Born in India, she moved to South Korea at a young age and then to Hong Kong – and learned to communicate with those around her through her paintings

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Hong Kong-based artist Sravya Attaluri wants to use art to “break mental health stigmas, champion body confidence and promote diversity”. Photo: Sravya Attaluri

Published: 2:45pm, 23 Aug 2021Updated: 2:55pm, 23 Aug 2021

As Covid-19 lockdowns, quarantines and social distancing contribute to the worsening state of mental health in Hong Kong and many other parts of the world, Sravya Attaluri’s work has become even more relevant.

“My endeavour is to use art to break mental health stigmas, champion body confidence and promote diversity,” says the 26-year-old Hong Kong-based artist with more than 34,000 followers on her Instagram account, @sravyaa.

Attaluri calls herself an “artivist”, combining the words artist and activist. In 2019, she started Draw For Mental Health, a platform for Hong Kong artists to share their mental health struggles through their work. In July 2021, the group organised an exhibition titled “Journey to Self”, showcasing the work of 10 artists.

“My desire is to cultivate the concept of a positive mental health culture in the city and to challenge the normalised high-stress lifestyle that Hong Kong residents lead,” says Attaluri, who this year also launched online store Hello Colour, selling products such as mindfulness cards, door hangers and stickers that promote mental well-being.

An affirmation card from a mindfulness card deck on Hello Colour. Photo: Sravya Attaluri

Attaluri has created art for human rights organisations, mental health charities and multinational organisations. Earlier this year, Facebook hired Attaluri as its creative partner for Instagram’s “How To Keep Your Heart Happy” campaign. It educates and empowers girls and women, through videos, to use the new safety tools on Instagram to create a safe environment for them.