THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Splendours of the universe, charm of masterpieces, and snippets from life in and outside the planet fill the walls of the city that has turned a canvas with an impressive blend of art and science to set the right mood for the Global Science Festival Kerala (GSFK) to be held here from January 15 onwards.
As the countdown begins for the month-long festival, many walls of the city sport GSFK-related themes, welcoming science enthusiasts to the gala event, pitted to be Asia’s largest curated science festival. One such work at Palayam underpass — resembling Van Gogh’s famous ‘The Starry Night’ incorporated with schoolchildren gathering around a telescope — is said to be Kerala’s largest wall art.
This transformation of the city is the result of a collaborative effort of those who breathed life into colours. “As an artist, I take great pride in contributing to Kerala’s largest wall art and the GSFK. It is fulfilling to be part of something significant, something that can have a profound impact in Kerala. The project posed many challenges, especially working on a busy two-way road. But the result is amazing,” says Naseeb S, who led a team of five artists.
Spanning an impressive 5,000 sqft along the NH bypass at Vellar, an eye-catching masterpiece showcases the wonders of the universe, from the Milky Way and solar system to the glowing moon. Excitement is writ large on the face of Ajay K P, an artist from The Brandon Shades collective. “Eight artists took eight days to complete the wall art on the bypass road. It was a unique experience, as none of us had explored content related to a science festival before. Our artwork was carefully crafted after thorough research on the subject,” he says.
The city began preparation for the GSFK last September with the inauguration of the ‘Scientist Wall at the Keltron compound at Vellayambalam. This wall art pays homage to 10 renowned Indian scientists, with each portrait accompanied by a brief description of their contributions to science.
Another one is at Vazhayila Junction, a piece that reminds us of the fundamental truth that everything has DNA.
The city’s wall art initiative was spearheaded by the state government as part of its urban beautification programme. Before the GSFK schedule, the ‘Keraleeyam’ organised in November saw the walls of the Manaveeyam Veedhi done up with art. Remya Wilfred, who headed the team of College of Fine Arts graduates for projects like the Scientist wall at Keltron and the Vazhayila project, says, “We initiated the wall art to communicate the festival’s importance to the public.”
The Amuseum team also played a key role in selecting the stories and images. The task was ambitious compared to the earlier sessions — the essence of the science festival had to be incorporated into the artwork and loudly so. Artwork on walls across Thiruvananthapuram has long been a testimony to the city’s aesthetic tastes. But this time, the GSFK has showcased the city’s scientific bend of mind too.
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