They call this the age where the paint never dries — it isn’t allowed to. Today, the unconventional has become conventional; constant reinvention is the norm. A creative revolution of sorts — we speak of Mumbai’s art scene, where the dust never settles. This is a change driven by the coming of age of young blood. We have a generation of artists who challenge what is defined as art. Traditions have been thrown by the wayside. How else can you explain the death of the conventional art gallery? For the new age artist, the latest buzzword is street art. Yes, gone are the days when art flourished in the realms of high society. Sunita Tarpore, a Parel-based art enthusiast and a self-taught painter, explains, “The art community has realised that the common man is as much appreciative of creativity as anyone else. This explains the effort to take art to him.” Streetside Socialism The recent Kala Ghoda festival put the spotlight back on street art. “You can say this is a socialistic approach to art,” laughs media student Ridhiema Batra of National College. “Very often we find that the street presents us with a greater audience, better feedback and a diverse platform,” she adds. From the giant ceramic shoe by the Clay Chakra artists to the giant wheel with dabbawala cycles by Krsna Mehta, the festival was an outright celebration of street art. “Consider the artwork with the apples suspended from the trees at the entrance. The entire outdoor effect gave the work so much more depth. It would not have been half as effective in a staid gallery space,” observes Tarpore. Upkeep, a Downside Another lingering question is that of maintenance. A good example is the Bhoiwada traffic police chowky at Parel. Painted by artist Bose Krishnamachari in 2005, it boasted a vivid hand-painted, multi-hued faade. Sadly, the visually stunning landmark soon lost its sheen. “The paint on the exterior began peeling away, exposing the bare white tiles below. Plus the rain washes away the paint on the front wall every year,” explains P Salunkhe, senior inspector at the Parel chowky. He adds that, “No one is directly responsible for the upkeep, inevitably leading to the chowky being neglected.” Art Antagonists The anti-street art brigade is a lingering threat. Tarpore reveals, “Take for example the Kala Ghoda festival. Most of the street artworks were manned by someone all through the day; such is the threat of vandalism. It is a risk associated with showcasing in public areas.” Protective laws do exist, whereby those abusing public property may be jailed or fined as per the severity. But the quick-footed vandal usually manages to elude our hard-nosed cops. A case in point was the extensive ‘Beanbags’ graffiti campaign. From the bylines of Juhu to the elite skyline of Cuffe Parade, it was a spray paint attack of sorts. Will better police vigilance put an end to this menace? “We cannot patrol every street at every hour of the day. After a point, there is something called civic consciousness and citizen vigilance also,” argues a police officer on conditions of anonymity. Bigger, better, Bose Despite the many roadblocks, deterrents and anti-street art forces, this is one creative fad that is going to stay. “I think street art should be encouraged in every form possible. We should paint bus stops, street furniture, hoardings — everything! I want this to grow into something big,” opines artist Bose Krishnamachari. Here’s to a curbside canvas of sorts!
Group Moderator for [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Connect your World with Us join Now - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dimpill_gang/join Affiliated group from dimpill_gang for Only Adult Mails - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fantazies/join Affiliated group from dimpill_gang for Only Health and Food Mails - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Health_and_Gourmet/join Chat on a cool, new interface. No download required. Go to http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php
