Artists giving Hyderabad a colorful makeover

Hyderabad: In the last few years, cities have seen an incredible makeover through street arts. Be it wall paintings or artistic sculptures, street art has become an integral part in forming the identity of many metropolises. And Hyderabad too is welcoming colours onto its streets via art.

Four students from the Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University – Santhosh Buddhi (30), S Abdul Rehaman (28), Mahesh Kumar Ganganapalli (24) and Murali Krishna Kampelly (30) – are working tirelessly to transform Hyderabad’s walls into a beautiful canvas rising in the midst of a regular pandemonium. The young artists have also worked on a few art installations across the city.

Expressing their gratitude to the city authority for giving them a chance to showcase their art, Santhosh shares, “We have been working with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in several places of the city. Wall paintings and sculptures have been made by us and these works have given us an identity and scope to work further. Other departments are also approaching us for work. Government has been very cooperative and even higher officials and bureaucrats appreciated our work. This is real motivation and recognition for us.”

The artists, who are beautifying the streets of Hyderabad, however, had a rough start in life. Most of them belong to underprivileged families and didn’t have enough financial support. Talking about his experiences, Santhosh says, “I am from Kagaznagar. I have had a difficult childhood. When I started college, I didn’t have any money to pay for fees. So, after joining the college I used to work at night in a hospital as an ambulance driver. It was challenging for me but my love for art somehow kept me going.”

Art was a part of their life from a young age, and they didn’t let anything come in their way to become an artist. “I would paint for hours as a kid. The flow of colours amazes me even now. However, no one in my family knew about fine arts, it was a senior who gave me an insight into this course. There were a few financial obstacles, but I am lucky that my family never stopped supporting me emotionally. I am happy that Telangana government has given me a chance to put my art on the city walls,” shares Abdul.

The problems these artists face are not just poor financial conditions, but also the lack of opportunities after completion of their courses. “There are challenges in every profession. But here the issue is students don’t know much about this field of study. And then there aren’t many opportunities that come our way. Most artists have very limited income and that is a big reason to worry for budding artists. I wish that schools educate the students about the field of fine arts and the opportunities it can offer them, so that more students pursue this field,” explains Mahesh.

But, despite having gone through hard times in their lives, none of the four want to quit art. “Like most others in this field, I also come from an underprivileged family,” says Murali, adding, “I am part of the Arttree artworks, which is a group of budding artists who aim to do some shows and make a mark in the art field at the national and international levels. I know it might not be as paying as other white-collar jobs, but nothing appeals to me more than colours. In the future, I would like to work on the transition that has happened through technological advancement in the field of art.”

Changing cityscape

* ‘Palapitta’ sculpture at Road Number 70, Jubilee Hills
* Pebble sculpture at 7/8 Junction, opposite GVK Mall, Banjara Hills
* Wall art on Road Number 45 Junction, Jubilee Hills
* Wall art outside the Lakdi-ka-pul railway station
* Wall art near Pension Office bus stop, Banjara Hills
* Wall art on the Khairatabad flyover

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