Rashmi Rajgopal on the ongoing St+art Festival in New Delhi, sponsored by The Saffronart Foundation
St+art India’s “Work in Progress” is the fourth edition of the St+art Festival in India, organised by the St+art India Foundation. The two-month long street festival opened on 31 January with live music performances and curated shows at Okhla, where crowds were dwarfed by massive shipping containers displaying the works of 25 artists from India and around the world.
The opening of “Work in Progress”. Photograph by Hanif Kureshi
A spokesperson for St+art India said, “The festival aims to change the city’s landscape with art in public spaces through mediums such as murals, installations, performances, workshops, talks, screenings. It provides a collaborative platform for street artists from India and around the world and focuses on the idea of ‘art for everyone’ with the prime objective of having a positive impact on the society and also reaching out to wider audiences.”
Nevercrew from Switzerland at work. Photo by Shijo George
The festival’s focus this year is Lodhi Colony, New Delhi, where invited artists continue to work on the containers. The St+art India Foundation has partnered with The Ministry of Urban Development in supporting its Swachh Bharat Mission, to transform Lodhi Colony into the country’s first public art district. “Through the creation of India’s first public art district we hope to work with the government on more projects to create an alternate and sustainable approach towards the Swachh Bharat Mission,” said Arjun Bahl, Co-Founder and Director of the St+Art India Festival.
Gond artist Rakesh Memrot’s mural at Lodhi Colony. Photo by Akshat Nauriyal
Gond artist Rakesh Memrot’s mural at Lodhi Colony
Displaying their creations at the venue are artists from India, Iran, Japan, Spain, Italy, France, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Uruguay, Mexico, and the United States. Through the course of the show, group tours can be pre-booked for Thursdays on the St+art India website. The containers will remain painted after the exhibition closes, and will travel across India as transportation.
The exhibition closes on Sunday, 28 February. For the schedule and more details, visit the St+Art India website.
All images provided by St+Art India Foundation
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