The walls of the Pullukadu Housing unit at Ukkadam are draped in vivid blues and purples these days. You might spot children running amok on the streets flanked by kingfishers perched in a sea of plum or a multi-coloured fish in swimming towards the next building. Talking amongst themselves, elderly ladies sit in a sunny patch, filtering through a rare break in the clouds. Red peacocks and yellow songbirds are only punctuated with flowy, half-human forms peeking through artistically painted branches. Welcome to the Ukkadam Art District.
The third edition of the Start India foundation's art intervention in Coimbatore is now open to everyone in the city.
The Theme
This year's symposium comes together through vividly painted murals reimagining the city's rich biodiversity by drawing attention to its wetlands. Coimbatore and its communities rely heavily on the region's wetlands which are crucial to their sustainability and identity. Due to its interconnection with River Noyyal, the wetlands act as a feeding source for different species of migratory birds that fly down during the winter months from as far as the Tundra regions, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Art Festival With a Cause
Through their inventive use of colours and vibrant depictions of birds and water creatures, the artists plan to accentuate the importance of these wetlands for the city and its people, while also deploying active community engagement through a series of workshops to create a dialogue around it. With this edition focusing on stimulating awareness through artworks, the project's goal lies in conserving the habitat within the wetlands and developing a sense of harmony between the community and the creatures.
The Artists
Following the theme- "Wetland Biodiversity", the Ukkadam art district will have on display distinct interpretations of the city's natural ecosystem via three fantastic murals painted by artists House of Berserk, Andha Ras, and Senyensen Collective.
When & Where
The Start India Foundation's project will have workshops and other engagement activities till the 23rd of November at the Pullukadu Housing unit in Coimbatore's Ukkadam art district. Asian Paints and the Coimbatore city municipal corporation are sponsoring the festival. If you are in Coimbatore, you can have a fun day by visiting the district and admiring the multi-hued walls. Remember your umbrellas to avoid getting caught in the rain, as Tamil Nadu's monsoon season is still ongoing.