Consider this — Ivanka Trump makes a decision to peep out of her car simply earlier than getting on to the Punjagutta flyover, enroute Falaknuma, publish her presentation at GES. And her eyes land at the paintings made especially for her at the boundary wall of the Hindu burial flooring. You can't fault her for questioning why there's a larger-than-life chicken perched on a stump in the backdrop of snowcapped mountains in, er, Hyderabad! Well, that is the kind of question the common commuter at the street is calling as well, having a look on the random, thoughtless boulevard artwork that is splashed across the city. From the congested Old City to the swanky Hitec city, the civic management has gone all out to lovely up the entire city for the visiting delegates of the Global Entrepreneurs Summit (GES) that kicks off lately.
But have the chaotically spray-painted flyover pillars, walls, kerbs and medians that includes shoddy figuratives of birds and animals, and random landscapes had the specified impact, actually? The city's artist community does not think so. This eleventh-hour beautification pressure is the rest however alluring, they are saying.
Veteran artist Thota Vaikuntam is of the opinion that the civil management will have to have jumped at this opportunity to highlight the culture and tradition of Telangana. "they should have summoned the senior artists of the state and architects to discuss how to go about giving the city a facelift. if you don't know art, at least you should heed suggestions of those who do," he says. The 1993 National Award-winner goes on to add that even though it is not simple to turn the varied culture of the state through artwork on pavements and walls, there's no harm in no less than making an attempt. "The least they could have done is scan different parts of the city, its demography and highlight various cultural aspects accordingly," he points out.
Take for example the rendition of the 'Adarsh Balak' who may also be noticed at the Falaknuma flyover with a brush and dustpan, cleaning his setting. While this paintings might had been apt at the walls of a school or a health center, why is it on a railway overbridge from where hundreds of delegates move by way of, is tricky to fathom.
"Art, more so street art, is very specific to its space and should provoke a thought in the viewers' mind," says Anil Kumar Govindappa, a city-based artist. "The random birds and recreations of the Charminar, Budhha Statue and 'Adarsh balak' are merely decorative and make for a meaningless visual experience. Real street art must have a meaning and be relevant to its surroundings," says Anil.
Avani Rao Gandra, artist, creator, photographer and curator, is of a identical view. "It seems like this entire beautification drive has been carried out in haste, just to please some delegates. Ideally, street art should provide long-term relief to the citizens. After all, it's the public's money that's been spent. I personally feel stressed out when I look at these paintings while stuck in traffic; they are such an eyesore! Instead of spray-painting the walls and flyovers thoughtlessly, they should have taken the opportunity to highlight the culture and tradition of Telangana, which they very conveniently chose to ignore. It's a lost opportunity."
Apparently, it cost nearly Rs 2 crores to 'embellish' the Gachibowli, Panjagutta, Hitec city flyovers. GHMC then again states that they have got no longer spent public money; this was a completely CSR-funded project. The civic frame additionally argues that there was an attempt to show off Telangana's artwork and culture.
"For instance, the Gachibowli flyover is now adorned with the 400-year-old Nirmal art showcasing popular dance forms of Telangana. The other side of the same flyover showcases Cheriyal paintings," says D Harichandana, Zonal Commissioner West Zone.
While Nirmal paintings are made the use of duco and tooth paints on comfortable picket, Cheriyal painting is the native scroll artwork type of Telangana that depicts mythological narratives. How well those native artforms had been mirrored on flyover walls is debatable, say artists. a few kilometers forward, at the Hitec City flyover the theme adjustments totally with figuratives of the nationwide chicken, peacock and state chicken, palapita, in 3-d avatar, accompanied by way of some colourful spray paint artwork. There seems to be no rhyme or explanation why to the rest, lament the artists. "Our project was inspired by the Philadelphia art project," points out Harichandana.
What she is regarding is the much-acclaimed City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, an anti-graffiti programme where skilled artists and prosecuted graffiti vandals collaborated to create new work of art in the city. Humantha Rao, owner of Gallery Space, is of the same opinion announcing, "If that's what the idea was, the civic body should have commissioned the work to accomplished artists. I am sure the end-product would have been different then; at least the theme would have been better. I don't understand the aesthetics behind the messy use of spray paints on flyover pillars and meaningless paintings of sceneries and animal kingdom on the walls. The administration should have taken inspiration from other cities like Kolkata and Gujarat, where they have used mosaic murals to beautify key milestones."
Well, critics be damned. The management plans to proceed this 'plastic surgery' in a bid to give the city a facelift, unhindered. Meanwhile, those folks who think it is an eyesore, should wait for time to take its toll at the kitschy paintings. Or pray that it will all be painted over yet again when time comes for the following face lift!
But have the chaotically spray-painted flyover pillars, walls, kerbs and medians that includes shoddy figuratives of birds and animals, and random landscapes had the specified impact, actually? The city's artist community does not think so. This eleventh-hour beautification pressure is the rest however alluring, they are saying.
Veteran artist Thota Vaikuntam is of the opinion that the civil management will have to have jumped at this opportunity to highlight the culture and tradition of Telangana. "they should have summoned the senior artists of the state and architects to discuss how to go about giving the city a facelift. if you don't know art, at least you should heed suggestions of those who do," he says. The 1993 National Award-winner goes on to add that even though it is not simple to turn the varied culture of the state through artwork on pavements and walls, there's no harm in no less than making an attempt. "The least they could have done is scan different parts of the city, its demography and highlight various cultural aspects accordingly," he points out.
Take for example the rendition of the 'Adarsh Balak' who may also be noticed at the Falaknuma flyover with a brush and dustpan, cleaning his setting. While this paintings might had been apt at the walls of a school or a health center, why is it on a railway overbridge from where hundreds of delegates move by way of, is tricky to fathom.
"Art, more so street art, is very specific to its space and should provoke a thought in the viewers' mind," says Anil Kumar Govindappa, a city-based artist. "The random birds and recreations of the Charminar, Budhha Statue and 'Adarsh balak' are merely decorative and make for a meaningless visual experience. Real street art must have a meaning and be relevant to its surroundings," says Anil.
Avani Rao Gandra, artist, creator, photographer and curator, is of a identical view. "It seems like this entire beautification drive has been carried out in haste, just to please some delegates. Ideally, street art should provide long-term relief to the citizens. After all, it's the public's money that's been spent. I personally feel stressed out when I look at these paintings while stuck in traffic; they are such an eyesore! Instead of spray-painting the walls and flyovers thoughtlessly, they should have taken the opportunity to highlight the culture and tradition of Telangana, which they very conveniently chose to ignore. It's a lost opportunity."
Apparently, it cost nearly Rs 2 crores to 'embellish' the Gachibowli, Panjagutta, Hitec city flyovers. GHMC then again states that they have got no longer spent public money; this was a completely CSR-funded project. The civic frame additionally argues that there was an attempt to show off Telangana's artwork and culture.
"For instance, the Gachibowli flyover is now adorned with the 400-year-old Nirmal art showcasing popular dance forms of Telangana. The other side of the same flyover showcases Cheriyal paintings," says D Harichandana, Zonal Commissioner West Zone.
While Nirmal paintings are made the use of duco and tooth paints on comfortable picket, Cheriyal painting is the native scroll artwork type of Telangana that depicts mythological narratives. How well those native artforms had been mirrored on flyover walls is debatable, say artists. a few kilometers forward, at the Hitec City flyover the theme adjustments totally with figuratives of the nationwide chicken, peacock and state chicken, palapita, in 3-d avatar, accompanied by way of some colourful spray paint artwork. There seems to be no rhyme or explanation why to the rest, lament the artists. "Our project was inspired by the Philadelphia art project," points out Harichandana.
What she is regarding is the much-acclaimed City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, an anti-graffiti programme where skilled artists and prosecuted graffiti vandals collaborated to create new work of art in the city. Humantha Rao, owner of Gallery Space, is of the same opinion announcing, "If that's what the idea was, the civic body should have commissioned the work to accomplished artists. I am sure the end-product would have been different then; at least the theme would have been better. I don't understand the aesthetics behind the messy use of spray paints on flyover pillars and meaningless paintings of sceneries and animal kingdom on the walls. The administration should have taken inspiration from other cities like Kolkata and Gujarat, where they have used mosaic murals to beautify key milestones."
Well, critics be damned. The management plans to proceed this 'plastic surgery' in a bid to give the city a facelift, unhindered. Meanwhile, those folks who think it is an eyesore, should wait for time to take its toll at the kitschy paintings. Or pray that it will all be painted over yet again when time comes for the following face lift!
If you don’t know art, at least heed suggestions of those who do, city artists tell GHMC
![If you don’t know art, at least heed suggestions of those who do, city artists tell GHMC]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
November 28, 2017
Rating:
