As football fever sweeps across, fans have been finding creative ways to celebrate the World Cup and their love for the beautiful game. Among the latest attractions is a striking artwork displayed at the basketball court of Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, which has been drawing widespread attention on social media.
Created by artist Ajay V John, the 1,000sq.ft installation pays tribute to what’s billed as ‘One Last Dance’ of three global football icons — Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr.
The massive artwork is made entirely from scrap materials, using around 1,600 discarded soda bottle caps fixed onto square pieces of plaster-of-Paris sheets.
An avid football enthusiast, Ajay says the idea was inspired by his passion for the sport and admiration for Messi. “I am a Messi fan and had created a large painting of him during the last World Cup. That, too, had received a lot of appreciation,” he says.
“This time, I wanted to do something more meaningful. That led me to the idea of creating an artwork from waste materials. Students of Nirmala College collaborated with me by helping collect materials and complete the work on time.”
Ajay, who is a CMA faculty member at a private firm in Kochi’s Kakkanad area, adds that the work took nearly six months to complete. “After conceiving the idea, we spent two months visiting cool bars across Kochi to collect discarded soda caps,” he says.
“We also approached beverage companies, scrap dealers and local shops for additional caps. The square boards used in the installation were salvaged from construction waste from the college campus itself. The final execution and arrangement took about 10 days.”
An alumnus of Nirmala College, Ajay also holds records in both the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records for creating the smallest painting on an eggshell. “I will apply for this one too,” he smiles.