Lodhi Art District from the lense of Shuruart
Public Art presumably boosts the public's appreciation for art. For example, someone who has never stepped foot in a museum happens to walk by an impressive mural. This experience allows the art piece to deliver messages, enhance creative thinking, or simply brighten this person's day.
What's not to love?
The lanes of Lodhi Colony in New Delhi are a treat to the eyes. We’re writing about this after 2years of its completion. But isn’t that the beauty of Public Art, it just never gets old. The beautiful and magnificent murals are bringing art as a topic for conversation on the table for commoners, and also inviting a lot of visitors. You can easily spot numerous people getting clicked, posing in front of
these walls for their Instagram feed. The murals depict many burning issues of our time. Know more about the famous murals of Lodhi Art District here:
1) Colours of Soul by Senko: Senko painted these birds since in Mexican culture as well as several others, are symbols of diversity, identity, and freedom. Birds are also considered travelers with a lot of experiences and stories to tell. Hence Senko painted the birds in Lodhi Colony to represent the colorful diversity of the people who live there and also to encourage them to communicate with each other and share stories, just like the birds would.
2) Douglas Castro has portrayed various forms of flowers, leaves, and birds he observed in New Delhi after visiting several parks. He also got fascinated by the element of the hands which he saw painted in several shapes and context all around Delhi. They are holding together several natural elements and expressing at the same time the universal language of gesture.
3) Climate Change by Li Hill: “When creating this mural, a partnership between two nations, I was asked to speak on an issue that impacts them both. This image arises from contemplating Climate Change and how it can alter the landscapes of two very different nations. The painted leaves become something of a hopeful gateway for the viewer to walk through. One where we can envision a future with respect to the Earth. Here is to a hopeful future beyond our human-centric
vision”. (Sourced from Li Hill’s Instagram feed)
4) In Renato Reno’s mural, the central figure is the Indian bird 'Oriental Pied Hornbill'. A dense flow of various shapes seems to emerge from the ground embracing the bird and creating an engaging scenario for the viewer.
5) PINK: The name and the color of this mural stand as a symbol of women empowerment. DWA Zeta a Polish Duo that comprises of Karolina Zajaczkowska & Sławek Czajkowski. Their work explores and critiques the nature of existing orders and structures. DWA Zeta felt a lack of feminine equality in the flow of the city New Delhi, so they used bright pink as the main color in the mural to
figuratively mark the feminine element in a public space. By its very nature, street art is site specific. The artists inevitably take inspiration from their surroundings. They create stories and characters from what they observe around them. Here, Dwa Zeta chose to make these abstract forms referring to the flow of Delhi streets which reflects their impressions of this hectic, crowded, yet potent and colorful nature of the city
6)Vishwaroopam: This mural depicts a scene from Indian mythology, a recurring theme in InkBrushnMe's work. This particular tale is the beginning of an 18 day battle between Vishnu and Arjuna. Presented on the wall are the many forms of Vishnu, the supreme warrior. Matter to antimatter, everything exists in this elaborate painting.
7) Astronaut atop the wall: Nevercrew links all their pieces by continuing to use the astronaut in their work as a metaphor for someone who can see things from a different perspective, as a silent viewer of a larger picture. In this case, he would witness all the daily activities of Lodhi colony, perched atop.
8) Shekhawati Painting by Mahendra Pawar - Done over weeks with support from a diverse group of volunteers, this beautiful mural now adorns the wall opposite Khanna Market in Lodhi Art District and keeps the tradition of Shekawati paintings contemporary. The size of the mural was similar to the other walls in Lodhi, but the details within the artwork meant several hours of work had to be put in over weeks. A great team of dedicated volunteers worked with Mahendra to finish
the mural.
9) Having spent his life painting letters, the Lodhi wall was the first time that Niels Shoe Meulman used his own words in his work by painting a poem he wrote. He also likes to have nature involved in his works which comes in the form of brooms that he uses which are made of organic materials. In the case of Delhi, it was the household ‘Jhadu’ which he bought from Khanna Market. This mural can be found at Block 11 in Lodhi Colony. Niels’s painting style is close to abstract expressionism with a calligraphic origin and plays an important role in the new art movement Abstract Vandalism.
10) Lava Tree: “Emerging from a dreamscape, perpetuating the flow of lava, the tree posits to consume the entire building, shadowing the menace of our minds.” - Anpu Varkey
11) ’Katha-Crazy Twins: Chiller Champa & Boom Bhaijaan' by Harsh Raman. Through this piece, Harsh Raman attempts to merge the ancient Indian art of Kathakali, which is a storytelling dance-form from the south of India which uses gestures and no words, with today's medium of no words - street art. The two heads together represent the duality of human nature and it's part thereof. The artwork was purposefully chosen for the location so as to bridge the gap between the older migrant parents who hold on to their culture, and the younger generation - slowly letting go of their heritage.
12) We love Delhi: Drawing inspiration from the festival of Holi, the playful nature of the Delhi and the children who play cricket around this site everyday, artists Lek and Sowat decided to write the text 'We love Delhi' in Hindi which artist Hanif Queshi then painted on top of their Sanskrit cyphers to create an artwork which everyone in the neighbourhood could relate to and enjoy. The typographical motifs they use are taken from traditional graffiti and architecturally influenced
abstraction.
13) The Lotus: One of Japan’s leading graffiti writer, Suiko incorporated the tones and colours of the neighbourhood for his mural in Lodhi Art District. Even though Suiko mostly focuses on expressive letters, he is known for constantly experimenting with different styles. Here, he has taken the National flower of India as the main element. Playing with a symbol of the lotus, Suiko re-imagined his signature with curved lines and Japanese characters.
14) “How Is Global Warming" by Gaia: For his wall in Lodhi art district, Gaia explores the impact of greenhouse gasses and global warming on our society. Using the arch of the wall, he made the Shish Gumbad, known as the glass dome in the Lodhi colony area, right in the center of the composition. Behind it, a Victorian botanical garden plays with the concept of greenhouse gases. This pairing is flanked by two hands emerging from the water signifying hope and despair. On either side of the wall, the artist has painted one inflated globe and one deflated globe, to show the effects that globalization has on our planet.
