Led by the St+art India Foundation, 15 artists came together for a project to turn Chennai’s Kannagi Nagar slum area into a walk-in art gallery. Known as the city’s first ‘art district’, the area’s facades and walls have been covered with life-size murals and artworks, each with a special message as a part of the project. The murals reflect the local livelihood and especially the women of the community.
Kannagi Nagar, which houses around 80,000 people, happens to be one of India’s largest settlements of its kind. Often perceived as too crowded and unpleasant, much like most other slum areas, Kannagi Nagar has been transformed into an art district and has received this facelift over the last two years. The project was started based on an invitation from Dr Alby John Varghese, the Regional Deputy Commissioner (South) of Greater Chennai Corporation, with the objective to change the perception of the area.
St-art India, an NGO co-founded by Italian contemporary art curator Giulia Ambrogi, was started in 2014 and has since worked towards making art more democratic for all. In a statement about the project, Ambrogi said, “It’s been a very interesting story with many of our artists who choose to come here. One artist has been inspired by the colours painted on some houses he saw in Tiruvannamalai. He took inspiration from those and translated it into the pastel shades on the first mural that you see as you walk in.” The organisation also partnered with India-based paint company Asian Paints for the ongoing series of murals.
Some of the murals include Sisters’ by A-kill and Protectors and Providers’ by Osheen Siva. While the former sees two smiling sisters as a part of the huge mural, dedicated to the spirit of Kannagi Nagar characterised by its young people, the latter features a traditionally dressed woman holding a bowl of water with an entire universe within. The mural also features the words ‘Protectors’ and ‘Providers’ in Tamil.
Image Source: Indiatimes.com