Make in India: This is not art, and this is not an installation, say Mumbai artists

That Make in India is not just investment in the manufacturing sector but also about art and culture is the theory behind 16 lions 21 nandadeeps and a set of other public art installations that have come up in the last one week across the city Part of the investment extravaganza that is Make in India Week these installations are visual reminders of PM Narendra Modirsquos favourite catchphrase but have also drawn attention to the state of urban public art For instance Make in Indias mascot the lion with gears aplenty is found on various traffic islands across the city and is made of auto spare parts fibreglass and metalThe Make in India lion at CST which uses the design of gears PicPradeep DhivarThe event is a coming together of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion DIPP ad agency Weiden Kennedy New Delhi as well as a host of other creative agencies and individuals While the installation designs were conceptualised by Weiden Kennedy and Red Diffusion the execution is by film and television art director Nitin Desai Furthermore Desai who has been commissioned by the Confederation of Indian Industry CII has also designed the sets for the Maharastra Pavilion at BKC the stage for Maharastra Night at Girgaum Chowpatty as well as the grand dinner with the PM at the Turf ClubDesai who attended a school in Mulund and has been art director for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Dostana has brought in the best of Mahrashtrarsquos cultural spirit into the events The nandadeep for instance is the symbol on the state seal ldquoThe Maharastra pavilion at BKC has a trimurti that we see at Elephanta It has been great to see the government and creative agencies work togetherrdquo said DesaiStreet artist Ranjit Dahiya readies a wall at Worli Seaface for Make in India PicAtul KambleAmong those who were approached for the art installations was sculptor Arzan Khambatta whose works are found in traffic islands at Worli and Kala Ghoda Khambatta turned down the offer on learning that he would have to replicate the logo design provided to him ldquoThat kind of work can be done by fabricators or 3D printedrdquo he statedArmed with a bag and umbrella the working Mumbaikar lsquoNagrikrsquo at Haji Ali is an installation for Make in India Week PicPradeep DhivarRanjit Dahiya street artist and muralist who founded the Bollywood Art Project has also been commissioned by the Central government to pay homage to Make in India week at three centres across the city ndash Worli CST and Marine Drive Painting a space research themed mural at Worli on Friday Dahiya said ldquoIt is great that street art has received recognition from the government and support from the BMC We should beautify this grey city morerdquoWhether the installations will be temporary or find a permanent home is yet to be decided by the BMC While Additional Municpal Commissioner city Pallavi Darade refused to comment on the matter an official from BMC looking into the installations said the civic authorities are yet to make up their mindHowever not all in the art fraternity are pleased with the quickfix public art that has invaded our streets A South Mumbai gallerist requesting anonymity said ldquoIt is a monumental task for artists in the city to get permissions from the BMC to carry out any public art installation And then when the opportunity arises during Make in India Week to carry out public art it is swept away unfairlyrdquoRanjit Hoskote poet and cultural theorist who has cocurated the ongoing State of Architecture exhibition on seeing the 25feet tall Nagrik ndash a working whitecollared man with a bag and umbrella ndash at Haji Ali said Let us be clear This is not art and this is not an installationrdquo Hoskote suggests that the need of the hour is for street furniture and wellpaved streets ldquoWhat passes of as public art is just decorative nonsense Moreover artists cannot be pressured to make public art It has to be an organic processOn similar lines gallerist Arshiya Lokhandwala said ldquoPublic art cannot be a sudden burst of things and a quick fix There is a lot of money going into this Make in India that can be spent on the inculcation of young artists It has to be better structuredrdquoKhambatta continued ldquoWhile it wouldnrsquot be fair on the installations to comment on their quality it is a healthy exercise to have public art installations At this point it shouldnrsquot be about good art or bad artrdquo Curator Farah Siddiqui is hopeful that this is a good precedent set by the BMC ldquoMany of the top officials are welltravelled and knowledgeable about public infrastructure Lets hope this leads to better things