Re: [mpisgmedia] CM-SPA Flyover-art / bhagidaari Games aesthetics

I have everything against children"trying their hand" at decorating flyovers
of the capital with attempts at 'art'. Worse still is the idea of doing
"pilot projects" at premier flyovers like the AIIMS & the Dhaula Kuan
flyovers. These, as well as the metro stations should be treated as heritage
structures of the future to be maintained to posterity as national treasures
(wouldn't it be a little more cheerful to have things other than masoleums
as part of our heritage (of the world class type)? Wouldn't it be heartening
to have live, active public walking/driving across would be "heritage", at
long last?
In any case, the students of Delhi University keep regularly making bad use
of the Dhaula Kuan flyover by sticking thousands of posters with mugshots of
their toothpaste promo smiles, in a bid to win the university elections. No
one
even waited for the structures to be completed. It is so horryfying to see
prostective leaders of the nation sullying a public place so greedily. It
makes one shudder to think of what leaders such greedy, self aggrandising
students will make! Did the aesthetics or the lack of it, on the walls of
these flyovers, not strike anyone at the time of such iinappropriate student
publicity?
Also, art is tricky business. All the non-art that is being made to pass of
as art is as alarming as discouraging, since even billboard painters would
do a
better job.
There lies some consolation in the thought, however, that it was
the old Dutch fortress that lay unscathed by the Tsunami waves, while it was
all else built later, and by us Indians, that got washed away! So while
their is consolation in the thought of Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta and Kerala
murals outliving our hideous creations of non-art, it is neverthelss
depressiong to see public funds being sqandered over irrelevant activities
such as uglification of flyovers etc by 'children'. Why? Are these drawing
boards? Why not just leave the walls clean and vacant instead of succumbing
thus to the horror of vacue?
Builders and commercialisers between them do an excellent job of murdering
the city and slow poisoning us citizens, now children are to ruin the
flyovers with their 'art'!
The word Art should for some long years of practice be replaced with CLEAN
and QUIET in the mind of everyone including our worthy CM. For, no aesthetic
can survive, or indeed even begin to manifest without these both! What,
after all, will happen once 'art' no longer is in fashion? Art, my dear,
begins and ends in the soul, and in the sensibilities, not on walls, and
certainly NOT flyover walls, even if they are 'guided' by CMs!
Yours,
Aruna Bhowmick.

----- Original Message -----
From: Gita Dewan Verma <mpisgplanner@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mpisgmedia@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <in-enaction@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 10:03 PM
Subject: [mpisgmedia] CM-SPA Flyover-art / bhagidaari Games aesthetics


2-1/4 years ago, 13.11.2002
------------------------
(The Hindu) Giving artistic look to flyovers

... If the Delhi Government has its way, murals,
paintings, ceramic works and acrylic textures will
come up on flyovers across the city besides
amphitheatres and even an odd coffee home or two. In a
unique experiment, students of the School of Planning
and Architecture and children from various schools in
the Capital are being asked to display their artistic
and painting skills. The objective of the exercise,
being undertaken at the guidance of the Chief
Minister, Sheila Dikshit, is to give these massive
structures a more aesthetic and eco-friendly look.
...Ms.Dikshit said she had asked the students of the
School of Planning and Architecture to try their hand
at the Moti Bagh flyover on an experimental basis with
their artistic skills..
http://www.hinduonnet.com/stories/2002111306980400.htm
------------------------

Now, 05.02.2005
------------------------
(The Hindu) New-look flyovers before Commonwealth
Games

By Our Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI, FEB. 4. Before the start of the
Commonwealth Games in 2010, all the flyovers in the
Capital will have an altogether new aesthetic look ...
The Delhi Government's Aesthetic Committee formed for
this purpose today held a meeting under the
chairpersonship of the Chief Minister, Sheila
Dikshit... For the pilot project, new flyovers at
Dhaula Kuan and at AIIMS have been shortlisted...
http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/05/stories/2005020514310300.htm

------------------------
(The Pioneer) CM sets up panel to speed up projects
before 2010 games

...Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday constituted
an Apex Committee of Delhi Government for speedy
disposal of infrastructural projects for the 2010
Commonwealth Games. ...except Development Minister Raj
Kumar Chauhan and Industries Minister Mangat Ram
Singhal, all her cabinet minister are the member of
this committee which will look into the speedy
disposal of infrastructural projects for the 2010
Commonwealth Games. ...In the informal Cabinet meeting
on Friday, Ms Dikshit constituted this Apex Committee.
... Delhi Government had already constituted a Core
Committee of all departmental heads ... The core
committee headed by Chief Secretary S Reghunathan,
will submit the report about what infrastructural
project is needed. ... the government has also decided
to make flyovers more attractive for the tourists...
also decided to appoint an international consultant to
suggest way of these flyovers. ...To make flyovers
more attractive in the Capital, Ms Dikshit on Friday
held a meeting with Asthetic Committee, in which it
was decided to take up beautification works of AIIMS
and Dhaula Kuan flyovers as a pilot project. Ms
Dikshit, who is chairperson of the Asthetic Committee,
will formulate guidelines for beautification of
flyovers in Delhi. In the meeting on Friday, the
Committee has decided to involve the Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) for beautification of these
flyovers. The meeting was attended by PWD Minister Dr
AK Walia, Chief Secretary S Reghunathan, Principal
Secretary PWD, Chief Architect of Delhi Development
Authority (DDA), Principal Secretary (Environment), Dr
Subir Saha of School of Planning & Architect (SPA)...

------------------------

Pioneer has also a report saying, "In an ambitious
step towards cleaning the Yamuna river, the Resident
Welfare Associations (RWAs) or their local fedrations
will be Bhagidars in installing Mini Sewage Treatment
Plant (MSTPs) in their localities". Perhaps CM will
chair, to cheer the bhagidaar fellas with no taste for
flyover-art, also the MSTP committee for Games.

------------------------

PS:

(eml rant of 13.11.2002) SPA/CM/bhagidari and
flyover-art

... Many consider many flyovers unnecessary, wasteful,
even problematic... Some also consider them badly
designed... To the best of my knowledge Delhi School
of Planning and Architecture has not been looking into
these matters as a professional institute... I am
surprised, therefore, at this news report of SPA's
enthusiasm for flyover-art in bhagidari with our CM
(who loves to involve children in homey city
spruce-up). ...Of course, I have nothing against
students being asked to 'display their artistic and
painting skills' through flyover-art. I am a little
uncomfortable about this being part of an 'exercise
being undertaken at the guidance of the Chief
Minister'...


PPS:

Delhi Urban Art Commission? et tu Bhagidaar?




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  • Re: [mpisgmedia] CM-SPA Flyover-art / bhagidaari Games aesthetics
    • From: Gita Dewan Verma
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    [mpisgmedia] CM-SPA Flyover-art / bhagidaari Games aesthetics, Gita Dewan Verma
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