5 installations are set to take over Bengaluru this week

Bengaluru By Design will infuse art and culture in nooks and corners of the city
Bangalorestory

Bengalurians, don't be surprised if you stumble upon patches of greenery or a staircase clad with paper made from cotton. Five installations that celebrate art and culture are set to takeover the city this week.

"Design is not just for a select few. It's for everyone," says Suprita Moorthy. This is why Bengaluru By Design, a festival that showcases unique design concepts, is bringing art to public spaces. "The idea is to demystify it and get more and more people to just look at the city and observe what disrupts it," adds Moorthy, the co-founder of Bengaluru By Design.

The installations not only add aesthetic value to the city, but also have a deeper message, from saving paper to celebrating and conserving heritage structures and traditions.

Here's a look at the five installations that are ready to perk up the city.

With paper, from Poland

Beautiful chandeliers crafted from paper and rye straw will adorn the ceilings of UB City this week. Karolina Merska's traditional craft Pajakis is inspired from the Kurpie region in Poland. The spider web-like hanging made of colourful paper cut-outs and flowers is considered a symbol of harvest and happiness in the region. While Merska's aim is to keep the Polish tradition alive, she has added an Indian twist to her craft by replacing paper flowers with fresh marigolds. The rye used has been harvested by the artist this summer. "Pajakis is a time-consuming craft and it takes many days to make one. But, I find it meditative and relaxing," says Merska.

Where: UB City, 24, Vittal Mallya Road

 

Polish artist Karolina Merska and her craft

Traditional weaves adorn the townhall

Warps, wefts and exquisite weaves created from handwoven textiles will perk up Bangalore Town Hall, this week. "The Bangalore Town Hall is a beautiful Greco-Roman architecture that has been forgotten over time. Once a cultural hub, it is now recognised as a spot for protests," says Moorthy.

To change this narrative, Bengaluru By Design and Aadyam, an Aditya Birla Initiative, are giving it a makeover. Aadyam's collection, which includes traditional Indian styles such as Pochampally, Ikat, Kutchi weaving and Banaras brocades, will showcase the traditional weaving techniques of India. At the same time, it will also highlight the ownhall, its history and architecture.

Where: Bangalore Town Hall, Jayachamaraja Road, Sampangi Rama Nagar

Stairs full of paper

Why cut trees to make paper when you can use other materials? To create awareness about this, the steps in UB City will be clad with paper and bird cut-outs made from cotton rag waste. The initiative also highlights the fact that paper can also be made from coffee husk and corn husk.

The process of paper-making also requires a good amount of water. The wastage of water often goes unnoticed while talking about the issue, says Moorthy. "Therefore, we are exploring ways of making it with mercury and other materials."

Where: UB City, 24, Vittal Mallya Road

Ribbons of green

The depletion of green cover has been a cause for concern in Bengaluru for a while now. Total Environment, a design company, has therefore, decided to create green canopies placed in a way that will make it appear as a continuous twisting ribbon. The lush green spaces will bring relief to commuters, who are usually tired of seeing nothing but city traffic.

Where: St. Marks Circle, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar

A video installation on the colour indigo

There is so much more to the colour indigo than most people know. The video installation tells the story of the colour, its history and its role in history.

Where: UB City, 24, Vittal Mallya Road