#WIP: The Street Art Show
24 Artists | 100 Shipping Containers | Asia's largest dry port | 18 massive installations
There is nowhere to go but everywhere (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by St+art IndiaSt+art India
#WIP, or Work in progress was a walk-through experiential street art show built using a 100 containers, hosted at the Inland Container Depot, New Delhi - Asia's largest dry port. It acted as an open lab where artists created site specific artworks onsite, under the public's eye over two months.
Original Aboriginal (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by Reko RennieSt+art India
'Original Aboriginal' by Reko Rennie
Australian artist Reko explores his aboriginal identity through contemporary mediums and uses geometric patterns to trace his Kamilaroi roots. His installation acted as a gateway into a fortress of containers.
'See Through/ See Beyond' by Nevercrew
As you walked in, you were met with a massive Astronaut - an explorer who can view and perceive everything from a distance. Made by the Swiss duo Nevercrew, this piece was in connection to a mural they made in the Lodhi art District.
The astronaut generates an emphatic effect as the viewer sees the whole space through the mirror in the helmet, while also looking for himself in the astronaut.
Tap to explore
'Exotic Pictograms' by Dwa Zeta
This piece by Polish duo- Dwa Zeta talks about the interpretation of exoticism by the West. The icons and their connotations show the oversimplification of understanding distant cultures and the laziness of the viewer to deepen the perspective.
Tap to explore
Click around to have a look at the artworks through a virtual tour of the exhibit.
'Matruka' by Inkbrushnme
'Matruka', in Sanskrit translates to 'The Mother Goddess'. This is Pune-based artist Inkbrushnme's attempt to re-introduce the powerful and feminine side of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, namely Brahmini, Vaishnavi and Shakti
The vehicle of this Goddess, who can also be perceived as an ancient astronaut is a hybrid ‘Yali’ consisting of a Bull, a lion, and Shesha (serpent of Vishnu and a swan of Brahma).
Omnia Videns (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by SenkoeSt+art India
’Omnia Videns’/ ‘Seeing all’ by Senkoe
Through this piece, Mexican artist Senkoe talks about the manifestation of the universe among each human being and the need for each one of us to reflect and introspect on the many things we carry within ourselves.
There is nowhere to go but everywhere There is nowhere to go but everywhere- 1 (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by ECB HendrikSt+art India
'There is nowhere to go but everywhere' by ECB Hendrik
Feeling that the area lacked a human touch, German artist ECB decided to paint the portrait of a worker of ICD on this 120 ft silo. It is an ode to the unknown and unseen struggle of the rag pickers and truckers of the area.
There is nowhere to go but everywhere There is nowhere to go but everywhere- Details (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by ECB HendrikSt+art India
Inside the containers
Apart from exterior facades, artworks were also made inside the containers- like this work titled 'Bananas' by Indian sign painter Shabbu. The artwork connects to the fact that these containers were mostly used for shipping bananas all over the country.
Contain (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by Ullas HydoorSt+art India
'Contain' by Ullas Hydoor
Bangalore-based artist Ullas, like ECB, wanted to leave behind something permanent for the local inhabitants. Created on the Transportation building, located in the thick of the depot, here, Ullas speaks about the workers' lives that revolve around the containers.
Tap to explore
'The House is Black' by Nafir
Iranian artist Nafir painted his piece with the intent of giving brave Iranian women a voice. This is a portrait of Forugh Farrokhzad, known for her film 'House is Black' was the first documentary ever made by a woman in Iran
Tap to explore
'Breathe' by Daku
This piece by Indian artist Daku involves text painted with a particular black ink made from PM2.5 particles which cause air pollution. The ink was developed by students at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Tap to explore
'Cosmic Egg' by Agostino Lacurci
Rome-based Agostino painted a giant Cosmic Egg, an ancient and universal symbol which is present in almost all cultures, religions and cults. It also alludes to the nature of containers, which like the egg, contain but are also contained.
Performances
The aim of #WIP was to become an open platform for various cultural communities. Every weekend creatives across mediums were invited to explore the space in new ways. While the artists were busy painting the containers, there were various gigs, tours and workshops happening simultaneously. Pictured here is the slam poetry event.
Band performance (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by St+art IndiaSt+art India
Through each weekend, the space would shape-shift to become a stage of sorts for different artists. Here a performance by the Delhi psychedelic band 'Begum' took place next to Agustino's Egg.
Tap to explore
'Going Bananas' by Lek & Sowat
French artists Lek & Sowat's installation was a reference to the functional aspect of the containers dealing with banana shipping. The yellow colour used in the hieroglyphic text (sacred writing) dominates the dramatic composition.
Going Bananas Going BananasSt+art India
The artists imagined the installation as a fortress built by one of the Indian tribes living in the area who have their own language which is far from the artists' understanding, hence the incomprehensible text.
Calligraffiti (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by Niels Shoe MeulmanSt+art India
'Calligraffiti' by Niels Shoe Muelman
Amsterdam based artist 'Shoe' is the founder of a style called "Calligraffiti". For #WIP, he created a composition which is a poem depicting his experiences across 35 years of painting - both in the streets and the gallery.
Tap to explore
The first layer is his graffiti tag “Shoe”, the second layer consists of abstract expressionism and the third layer is of calligraffiti. After he used Indian brooms to create the abstract layer, he wrote his own poem that talks about his intense and dense path of life, for the third layer.
Calligraffiti (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by Niels Shoe MeulmanSt+art India
The inside of Shoe's container exhibit.
Street battles
With a weekend dedicated to showcasing the elements of Hip Hop, #WIP acted as a venue for different communities of Beatboxing, Bboying, DJ performances, rap and dance battles to come on a common platform and show off their skills. This also acted as the closing of the exhibition.
Mirage (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by BorondoSt+art India
'Mirage' by Borondo
Inspired by the Mysore Palace, this piece highlights the multi-layered contrast between the context of having an experience like the #WIP Show at a space like the container depot.
The detailed brush movements, can be seen more clearly when we observe the dome section of the illustration
Raja Band (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by Do and KhatraSt+art India
'Raja Band' By Do & Khatra
Rasik is a member of Raja Band- a name synonymous with brass bands in India. Here, Indian artists Do & Khatra pay homage to every musician, whether famous or unknown, who still pursues their dream and passion for music.
Tap to explore
'Temple of Graffiti' by Harsh Raman
Believing that street art should be preserved and protected, Indian artist Harsh Raman created a temple of Street Art & Graffiti. For him, street art is a practice that comes from deep meditation, discipline and faith, just as the Sadhu depicted practices.
Tap to explore
The hands drawn with open eyes on both sides of the containers are blessing the entire space of the exhibition with good vibes and blessings.
Workshops
Various workshops were organised at the #WIP show. From Sign painting, DIY makers workshop to children's workshops. Pictured here is the graffiti and stencil workshop taking place.
Fruits of Childhood (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by AnpuSt+art India
'Fruits of Childhood' by Anpu Varkey
This portrait by Indian artist Anpu recalls German expressionism and brings forth contents which are deeply intimate in the public realm. It opens up and triggers a personal dialogue with the viewer, based on the childhood of each one of us.
The Revolution Will Be Painted (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by TylerSt+art India
'The revolution will be painted' by Tyler
As a part of the street art movement, Mumbai based artist Tyler believes that art, specifically street art is a tool to be used to create a revolution. This was a take on the iconic statement 'The revolution will be televised'.
Bali (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by Amitabh KumarSt+art India
'Bali' by Amitabh Kumar
ICD borders the huge mountain of waste- the Tughlakabad landfill, which had reached full capacity a few years ago and presently stands dead and stagnating. This morbid giant is the inspiration behind the image of the headless beast - just about to collapse.
Additional artists
In addition to the invited artists, there were some improvised pieces onsite as well. One such piece is the anamorphic text created by Indian duo- Do & Khatra (pictured in the foreground here). It complemented the two works that can be seen directly behind it - Suiko's (Japan) black and white horizontal containers, and a dancer's graceful hand gesture by Chifumi (France). Suiko chose to compose a simple black and white piece on horizontal containers, inspired by old-school graffiti writing on trains.
'Apsara - Composition IV' by Chifumi
Depicting 'Mudra's' (hand symbols) in his work, Chifumi's artwork was inspired by a dance form that is common in several cultures of Asia, and originating from North India has traveled through South-east Asia to reach Cambodia- where the artist currently resides. Here, Chifumi proposes a personal vision of his journeys and the various cultures he comes across.
'Look over' by Lucangelo
Italian artist Lucangelo has portrayed an elephant with its eyes closed, not wanting to see the present condition of our lives filled with lies, money & exploitation. The third eye urges the viewer to "look over" all the madness and imagine a batter world.
One Globe Eleven Altos (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by GaiaSt+art India
’1 Globe and 11 Alto Cars’ by Gaia
Working around the theme of how global warming is a direct consequence of globalisation, American artist Gaia wanted to make a reference to this idea in an Indian context.
The Alto produced by Maruti Suzuki is India's top selling car and is a symbol of the burgeoning middle class. But the reality is that the unchecked consumption and pollution caused by it is also a massive contributor to green house gases which eventually lead to global warming. Hence a dichotomy.
Top shot (2015-12-20/2016-03-10) by St+art IndiaSt+art India
Over 2 months, more than 30,000 people across all walks of life visited the space and took part in an immersive and mesmerising experience. The exhibit created an art-hub in an unexpected space, to offer diverse sectors of society newer experiences, especially to those who are usually excluded from the reach of art.
WIP-Work In Progress Delhi 2016 (2015-12-25/2016-02-28) by Akshat NauriyalSt+art India
Watch the making of #WIP : The Street Art Show
All works done for St+art Delhi 2016
Exhibit by Revantika Gupta
Curation : Akshat Nauriyal
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.