QUARTERLY MAGAZINE July 2020 Vol 03
Focus
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. Lives, jobs and health continue to be at risk world-over. In India too, the situation is no different, with many parts of the country still under lockdown. The real heroes who have emerged during this crisis are the doctors, nurses, hospital staff, the police officials, delivery and sanitation executives and many such invisible hands who have displayed exemplary courage and dedication working round-the-clock, even sacrificing their own lives for everyone's safety. These warriors have toiled tirelessly, standing true to their values of serving and caring for the needy.
"A tribute to the Covid Warriors, the #WallOfGratitude lives up to RPG's core values of Touching Lives and Spreading Happiness."
What words cannot express, art can. RPG Art Foundation conceived a unique project to create a gigantic mural to honour the Covid Warriors. The imposing 10,000 square feet exterior wall of RPG House, one of Mumbai's most iconic buildings on Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, was chosen to house the mural - the Wall of Gratitude.
Living up to RPG's core values that promote Touching Lives and Spreading Happiness, the mural has three components - workers from all walks of lives in their personal protective equipment (PPE) gears, the windows into people's homes where they are seen expressing their appreciation, and motifs loosely based on the term, 'flattening the curve'.
This visual tribute was conceived and hand-painted by accomplished artist Sameer Kulavoor and curated by Elsie Nanji, one of India's most celebrated designers. The ambitious project was also wholeheartedly supported by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), who granted permissions and Asian Paints, who provided paints and other materials to execute the magnanimous #WallOfGratitude.
RPG Art Foundation continues to champion Mumbai's Public Art Corridor and has embarked on an ambitious plan to beautify prominent intersections of Mumbai with contemporary public art installations in partnership with BMC and some of India's well-known as well as upcoming artists. The main idea behind the initiative is making public art accessible to everyone.
Mumbai based Sameer Kulavoor's work lies at the intersection of contemporary art, graphic design and illustration. The siblings Sameer and Zeenat along with a small team of four artists, Prajval Mendon, Dnyanesh Patale, Nikhil Prakash Jadav and Girjesh Jaiswar painted every stroke by hand conveying their message in a simple and direct manner.
Mumbai based Elsie Nanji is one of India's most celebrated designers. She has successfully blurred the lines between art and commerce by creating unique, aesthetic and memorable ideas and images over the last four decades. Elsie has been recognised among the top 100 most influential architects and designers who have taken Indian architecture and design into the future.
