Arty facelift for cityscape

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The city will soon get an arty facelift. Artists likely to be roped in by New Delhi Municipal Council for this project include eminent names like Subodh Gupta, Latika Kat and Aneesh Kapoor.

Many are excited about seeing an artistic city, much like the buzzing Manhattan with its fabulous installations. Young artist Satadru Sovan Banduri on his return from New York got to know about this project of beautifying the city. “All the major cities of the world have works of artists on display in public places. The idea is great because an exhibition at a gallery is attended only by those with a knowledge of art, but if an interesting piece is on public display at a prominent point in the city, everyone gets an opportunity to appreciate it,” he says.
City youngsters give a thumbs up to the idea. “Inspite of being an art hub, one doesn’t see many artworks at many places in the city. It would be great to appreciate art works while walking or travelling in a bus. Just like the stainless steel sprout structures at AIIMS crossing add up to a great view,” says Shikha Sharma, a Delhi-based advertising professional.
Installation artist Alex Davis feels Delhi has a multi-faceted reputation. For some it’s a cosmopolitan, and to others it’s a garden city. Given a chance, he would like to create a piece for the bustling Chandni Chowk. He would also like to see his steel creation Champa Tree at any of the roundabouts in the city.
“It’s a great idea and should have been done much before. But better late than never. It could prove to be a way of making art accessible. All grand cities of the world have art works on display and ours is joining the league,” says Alex.
Some argue that instead of senior artists, budding artists are more deserving of such a platform. “The idea of seeing art pieces at public places might seem nascent, but actually we have a provision of public art in government structures,” informs artist Alka Raghuvanshi. “Every building has to keep at least two per cent of the total budget for works of art. It’s customary in European countries and is followed. The builders here know the escape routes and flout the law,” she adds.