Yusuf Arakkal’s well-known copper ‘car,’ built with his beloved 1956 Fiat Millicento, has been turning heads at UB City where it has been on display.
For about a week, the piece de resistance at Bangalore's luxury mall UB City has been a “car” which has stolen the thunder from the Louis Vuittons, Guccis and D&Gs housed inside. And with good reason. The copper car, gleaming in the sun, is an art installation by renowned artist Yusuf Arakkal and has been the centre of attraction for people visiting the mall.
The installation evolved from the Bangalore-based artist’s reluctance to let go of his first car, unlike most people who would dispose of their cars once it started showing its age. So he did what does best and converted the car into a work of art. “My first car in Bangalore, bought in 1984 from friend and art collector Harish Padbhanaba for two paintings, this 1956 Fiat Millicento served me for over 20 years faithfully,” says the artist. His son learnt driving in it and his wife used to drive it to office.
Preliminary design and conceptual considerations, material and other initial ideas began in 2004. The actual work on the car began after a very firm idea was established. Arakkal decided to retain the original form and shape of the car, though he stripped it of its original body and replaced it with one made of copper and bits of bronze. The Millicento was the first Fiat model to come to India. “The car is a classic design and hence I used a classic material — copper,” says the artist about his installation.
“A team under my friend and associate, Joseph Antony, began work in the middle of 2004 under my guidance,” says Arakkal.
“Towards the end, Fazal, an automobile expert, and his team stepped in and did most of the mechanical jobs needed for the car.” Almost four years’ work went into transforming this into a work of art. Hundreds of detailed pieces were fabricated by hand. Many had to be rejected when found not fitting well with the general idea and aesthetics, the artist had said earlier. The skilled craftsmen who worked on the installation were paid Rs 1,500 a day and the entire project cost the artist about Rs 15 lakh.
“It’s a fantastic concept. We need such art surveillance where people can interact with the artists,” says fashion designer Prasad Bidappa who even advised the organiser, Uzma Irfan, of the Prestige Group (which built UB City) to hold such an event at least twice a year.The “car,' which was on display in Delhi for a while after it was built, will be on display in the foyer of UB City till today.