Sahil Iqbal
Srinagar, Jan 08 (Only Kashmir): Kashmir based young Art lover Affan Yesvi, is all set to launch an innovative website titled ‘RHYVERS’-the energy that flows (https://rhyvers.com/) to provide endless space for Art and Art Connoisseurs to showcase their poetry, Short Stories, Blogs, Painting and Photography. The website will provide space for young and aspiring poets, short story writers, painters, and photographers from the Valley, who often don’t find space on mainstream platforms.
For Affan Yesvi, this is all part of a movement to provide equal opportunities to artists in Kashmir. He recognises his own privilege and was also perturbed by it. And it was this discomfort that fuelled his desire to launch such a platform.
“We saw people in the valley developed keen interest in so many things during the Covid-19 lockdown which includes learning new languages, developing interest in poetry and short story writing, painting, calligraphy, photography etc. But their art remained limited to social media, they didn’t find space in mainstream platforms, we are going to provide them the endless space to showcase their art,” said founder of the RHYVERS’, Mr. Affan Yesvi talking to Onlykashmir.in, adding, we want to keep people engaged and to provide a wider viewership to young and energetic artists and there is a lot of interest in Kashmir for such content.
“However, even a simple idea, in a place like Kashmir, where internet is almost a luxury, is extremely tough to execute. Operating a website, coordinating with dozens of writers, poets and artists via email, uploading and downloading content can be a major task that requires a lot of patience.”
The idea is simple, Artist has to submit their Art work either through the internet or in person, the RHYVERS’ editorial board team will check all the parameters and then publicises them and opens them for comments, feedback and even constructive criticism.
The website advisory board consists of artist, photographer Alison Pinto, Poet author Neena Singh, Writer, Poet Roma Wani, Poet, Author Santosh Bakaya, Journalist Rajni Shaleen Chopra and Yesvi.
Besides, Affan Yesvi himself, the editorial board team of ‘The RHYVERS’ include Author Azra Mufti, Journalist Bilal Bashir Bhat, poet/Astist Deepika Chand, poet Mou Sircar and Photo Artist Jayati Saha.
According to the Yesvi, the content of the website with every passing day is growing. Graduating from poetry and prose, ‘The RHYVERS’ now has many categories under. These include prose across genres — short stories, fiction, Articles, Art work, Stories and so on.
The RHYVERS’, has a YouTube channel which will give recognition to these artists, the channel will broadcast the talk shows and interviews of young and talented artists of the valley who will contribute for website.
