Sai Akhil Anand, a 14-year-old artistic prodigy, is preparing for his first solo exhibit. The show in his home city, Chennai, will feature his collection titled Morphogenesis, which blends elements of mathematics, mythology, nature, and Indian folk art forms like Madhubani, Gond, Cheriyal, Kalighat, and Warli. According to DT Next, his work explores themes like the Fibonacci sequence and sacred geometry, blending storytelling, science, and environment.
Who is Sai Akhil Anand?
Akhil's work exudes a depth far beyond his age. The teenager gets his genius from his father, Viswanathan 'Vishy' Anand, the legendary chess grandmaster. His mother, Aruna Anand, enrolled him into art school when he was just five years old. Akhil credits his art teacher, Diana Sathish, for nurturing his creativity and helping him channel his myriad ideas into visual stories.
Akhil told Harper's Bazaar India that he is passionate about using his art for social justice and environmental awareness. He draws inspiration from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, David Attenborough, Jane Goodall, and other visionaries. In 2024, he also launched a clothing line that supports neurodivergent individuals. This was done in collaboration with the non-profit, Hastha Foundation.
Akhil's art features many animals like zebras and tigers. One of his projects, Terrific Tiger, shows how animals recognise their mothers through patterns. The fascination with this began when he noticed how "natural math patterns" were everywhere. He deeply explores his curiosity in his book ‘The HEart of Math: A young boy's passion for art, math and pattern', which he released at age 12.
In 2023, Akhil also gifted an artwork to participants at the Chennai Grand Masters event. His work was inspired by Poikaal Kuthirai Aattam, one of Tamil Nadu's iconic folk dances, which he saw at the opening ceremony of the Chess Olympiad 2022. The painting featured a knight (horse) with a warrior mounted on it, and a king pawn in his hand.
Young Akhil is also a self-taught weaver and is reportedly working on integrating mathematical sequences into this craft. "He knows what he wants and he owns what he is doing. He does his own research and learns new skills independently," Aruna told ChessBase India.
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