The vibrant soul of our dynamic city can be witnessed in some of the popular neighbourhoods of Mumbai known for walls painted with stories. Let us dive deep into the world of graffiti and listen to what artists have to say about this modern form of craft
A medium to express, educate, and embellish, the quirkiness of graffiti art or street art is being adored by art enthusiasts all over the world. It is no surprise that Mumbai, the vibrant and bustling art capital of India, is at the forefront of this creative revolution. Many old buildings, broken walls, and narrow streets of the city are being transformed into canvases by local as well as international artists. Let us take you to the colourful corners of the city which offer an opportunity to explore this free-of-cost display of pure skill and talent.
Making streets the main character
Street art is all about bringing the dull and grey streets of the city to life with strokes and sprays that narrate different stories. The pop of colour in graffiti and murals enhances the look of the structures, beautifying the whole area. “We are often questioned by curious passersby about our work. But when they realise, we are helping in the beautification of the streets by covering the spit marks or vandalism and making the mossy and broken walls more attractive, they are more than happy to help us. They click pictures in front of the artworks and some even sponsor paint and offer us more walls as canvases,” shares Sanskar Sawant, founder, and creative director at a design studio. It has been observed that walls with artworks tend to have lesser spit marks proving to be an effective solution to keep the surroundings clean.
Walls that tell stories
The number of art galleries and museums in Mumbai signifies the city’s love and dedication to art and culture. From local communities and traditional art forms to Bollywood legends, these colourful masterpieces pay tribute to many such aspects that give the city its identity. Highlighting how street art captures the essence of city life, Vaishnavi Sawant, an art student, comments, “Most of the time, the street artists make local vendors, postmen, milkmen, shopkeepers, policemen, teachers, bus drivers and many more faces and personalities as their muse. This makes these people, who are an important part of society, feel seen and adds an authentic feel to the art. Bringing communities and societies together is something artists have been doing for a long time, and I think graffiti artists will keep doing so through their artworks.”
Colour for a cause
Art can be used to bring a change in the society. Several welfare organisations have been using this power of art to change people’s conceptions. According to Saba Hemani, project head at a non-profit organisation that beautifies the slums of Mumbai by painting them, Art holds the power to start conversations and convey messages. She says, “We have painted railway station walls and hospital compounds with messages and art that address mental health issues and suicide prevention and the stigma around it which generated awareness to speak about such issues openly. Similarly, we have covered environmental issues like pollution by starting a campaign to say no to plastic on the streets of Bandra.”
With a huge area of the city covered by slums, they consist of the major part of our population. However, people have a preconceived notion about these areas and street art has proved effective in changing it. “Street art has bridged the gap between the people from the two communities living different lifestyles. Apart from this, these projects have helped to bring media attention to such areas making them a tourist attraction and a popular shoot location, generating income for the locals in return,” Hemani adds.
Various neighbourhoods of the city are painted with stokes that tell stories. “Art enthusiasts can visit Carter Road to spot the iconic cinema scenes, hit the funky skater park in Bandra, skim through the cool doodles and graffiti at Marol Art Village or watch the larger-than-life artworks at Sassoon Docks,” reveals Darshan Srivastav, a graffiti artist.
So, escape the monotony of everyday life and go around the city to gaze at the splashes of colours and chronicles.