Art is a tool that transcends all barriers of communication, language, culture, and vocabulary. It is here to stay, now and forever, waiting to be explored and expanded to greater heights and depths of human emotions and experiences. Nikeel Iyer knows this firsthand, as after being born hearing impaired, he has used art to express himself and communicate most effectively with those around him and the rest of the world.

After growing up in New Delhi, India, Iyer took up a course in Animation and Gaming Technology in Gurgaon, Haryana. After that, he joined the prestigious Parson’s School of Design in New York City. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts there in 2019. Currently, he is taking further advanced art certification courses in New York.

“It has been a long and arduous journey filled with challenges and hard work, especially as a disabled student,” Iyer says. “I have learned a lot and continue to learn new life lessons every day.”

In his day-to-day life, Iyer uses hearing aids, cell phones, Facetime, transcription services, speech-to-text systems, and much more to communicate with others. Art allows him to simplify his communication process and uniquely express himself.

“Art is a tool that transcends all barriers of communication, language, culture, and vocabulary,” he says. “It is here to stay, now and forever, waiting to be explored and expanded to greater heights and depths of human emotions and experiences. Human angst and universal issues of the self and our cosmos, need to be expressed creatively.”

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