St+art India Foundation, supported by Asian Paints in collaboration with Government of Telangana and India Design Forum, has brought to Hyderabad an unprecedented Urban Art Installation as part of World Design Assembly 2019.
Studies estimate there are now 150 million metric tons of plastics in the world's oceans, adversely affecting our marine ecosystem. Plastic-dumping is choking our oceans and governments across nations have begun to take measures to curb the growing menace of plastic pollution.
Engaging with this rapidly growing problem, street artist Daku's installation 'Why' at the Hussain Sagar Lake is a colossal Question Mark ('?') created by using 3,00,000 recycled plastic bottles. The installation also produces its own energy through solar power.
Conceptualized by Daku and produced by St+art India and supported by Asian Paints in association with Showboat Production, Hyderabad, this project is commissioned by the Government of Telangana and India Design Forum. The installation will be placed on the surface of the lake for a period of one month.
"Since 2016, when we started our work in Hyderabad, specifically in Maqtha, we have looked at the Hussain Sagar Lake as a location brimming with meanings. Daku's idea started taking shape back then and is now relevant more than ever. Public art plays a fundamental role in spreading socially relevant messages in a strong, direct and understandable manner and urban art interventions like this installation are crucial to create awareness and start building sensitivity for a more sustainable future. We are immensely glad that the dream of creating such a powerful installation has come through on the occasion of the Hyderabad Design Week, thanks to the support of the government and other partners", said Giulia Ambrogi, Co-founder, and Curator, St+art India Foundation.
Daku's works are recognized for establishing site-specific dialogues with the spaces he works within. Executed in the form of public art interventions, they engage with contemporary and complex topics, affecting their spectators with simple yet incisive commentaries.
More From This Section
In the same spirit, Daku's Question Mark aims to raise questions within the viewers - what can citizens do? What can governments and corporations do? Where do we go from here? What is the alternative?
These questions are posed to citizens, tourists, civic bodies and corporations alike, in the hope of a solution. It provokes us to take note of the growing number of problems associated with single-use plastics and encourages onlookers to self-reflect and start looking for alternatives.
"As an artist, this is my contribution to changing perceptions about the use of plastic, which is one of the biggest questions today. I hope this installation will help raise more questions in people's minds. This is my take on plastic against plastic", said Artist Daku about the installation.
Exploring the use of public space as a tool for social messaging and impact, the installation seeks to initiate a conversation around a rapidly escalating global problem. Through its scale and magnitude, along with the prominence of its location, it is sure to catch the attention of the city and bring to light a prevailing issue of our times. Making use of solar-powered lights, the '?' will be lit through the night, making it accessible throughout the day.
"As a part of #HyderabadDesignWeek, @streetartindia artist @daku156 has constructed an installation in the shape of a question mark with 3 lakhs upcycled plastic bottles questioning the use of single-use plastic in the current ecological climate. My compliments to the ST+ART team", tweeted KT Rama Rao, Minister of MA & UA, Industries and IT & C in Telangana.
This story is provided by NewsVoir.ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
