Even as Hyd's future is under dispute GHMC plans to beautify city

Even as the future of Hyderabad is under dispute, the GHMC is planning to beautify the city with mural art. The art work on walls, flyovers and pillars in the city that were painted during COP-11 look jaded. The GHMC is calling for tenders once again. However, artists are sceptical as experience shows that delayed payments and lack of aesthetic appeal may mar the project

T P Venu

Is it going to be a case of once bitten, twice shy? It may well be, going by the proposal by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s (GHMC) proposal to beautify the city with mural art. The art works done on walls, ramps of flyovers and pillars during COP-11 are already wearing off and in some places they do not gel with the landscape. Artists who were part of the project are wary of the proposal as they feel it is being done in a haphazard manner. Avani Rao Gandra of Iconart Gallery says, “A lot of thought should go into the project before calling for tenders. Artists are known for a particular style and they are bound to stick to it. But when a project of such magnitude is taken up, the culture of the city should be reflected.”

Ramana Reddy, a senior artist who was part of the beautification programme last year, says, “GHMC should include artists in the decision making process before calling for tenders. There is a need for deliberations on the theme, size, colour scheme and aesthetics. Specialists in the art field should be consulted.”

This time around GHMC plans to call for tenders from artists from August 14 for mural art works in mosaic, cement and mixed media.
Reacting to the provision of penalties to be imposed on defects, Avani Rao says, “Even cracks have an aesthetic appeal. Who will decide what a defect is? The GHMC should involve professionals in outdoor art.”

Artists sceptical of prompt payments
Artists who were part of the COP-11 project received payments after almost 8 months and some are yet to receive the whole amount. Sridhar Rao, an artist who worked with ceramic pebbles on the Begumpet flyover near Lifestyle says, “Initially we were told that we would be given spot payment but it took 10 months to get money. Majority of the artists are hard-pressed for money. I agreed to the work as it was in a public place and it was a new experience.”

Another artist Prakash who worked with fiber glass in the beautification of the Paradise flyover rues the decision, “I am not sure if the artists would be ready to be a part of the project again as the GHMC would decide on the lowest bidder. Beautification of the city by artists cannot be done if the artists are not paid on time. Creative freedom is important. Calling for the lowest bidder may prove costly as quality will be hit.”

According to GHMC officials, the empanelment of artists would be made based on the rates quoted. This is not going down well with the artist community. “Last year the GHMC just wanted to fill the walls with paint. The theme was biodiversity. If the culture of the city is reflected in the walls, flyovers and pillars, it would make sense,” says an artist who requested anonymity.

“Professional artists should be a part in every aspect of the project. We should not succumb to a wall filling exercise bereft of aesthetics. A per sft rate model will not work in such a project. It needs to be dealt with sensitivity, detail and knowledge on outdoor art.”
-Avani Rao Gandra,
Curator, Iconart Gallery