THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: City walls will yet again turn into canvases for artists as the Department of Tourism gears up to launch the new edition of Arteria, which aims at beautifying the city and raising awareness among the public on contemporary art. After a gap of five years, the authorities have decided to expand the Arteria initiative that gave a much-needed face-lift to the capital. The department has roped in the Steel Industrials Kerala Limited (SILK) to implement the second edition of Arteria and has sanctioned `57 lakh for the project.
The authorities have chosen five prime spots in the city to feature the artworks. Nandavanam at Museum Road, Bakery underpass, St Joseph’s School wall and two walls at Akkulam Bypass are the locations identified for the project.
“Around four months ago, we renovated the existing painting on the Arteria walls spending around `12 lakh. Now our idea is to expand by including more public walls. We have invited entries from interested artists and have constituted a technical jury to screen the entries and select the best ones for the project. Both well-known and upcoming artists will be part of the project. We will kick off the project a day ahead of Onam,” said Sukesh Pillai, head of Projects, SILK.
As many as 21 artists were selected for phase I of the Arteria project. This year too, the authorities are hoping to include a minimum of 20 artists. “The initiative would be a relief for many artists who are struggling due to the pandemic. The project would help prevent the defacement of walls by sticking posters or other advertisements. It would also help build awareness about art among the public,” said Sukesh Pillai.
Unlike the previous time, this year the authorities are planning to give an annual maintenance contract (AMC) to maintain the artworks. “We will be giving AMC to ensure that we have a rectification plan. Also, we will expand the project further in the coming years,” he added. The plan is to finish the project by August 31 and the selected artists would have to attend a one-day workshop on August 15.
Those sending entries should send the photograph of their work along with a small biodata and passport size photo. The last date for submitting the entry is August 13. The artist and helpers will be given an honorarium of around ` 50 to ` 60 per square foot. In addition to this, the authorities will provide the safety equipment and other requirements.
Those interested can send emails to silktrivandrum@yahoo.com or ajitkumarg@gmail.com.