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The public works department (PWD) of Karnataka recently took on a 153-year-old part of the Hampi ruins with a bulldozer. It appears that all we have space for in our country today are roads, malls and housing projects. The architecture of a country in a way is its identity, its cultural capsule and when we deface, destroy or neglect our heritage buildings, we also erase our identity. Many years ago, Melina Berenwald, an artist from Argentina had visited Bangalore and had commented, “I see these tall buildings (on MG Road) and I wonder if they are appropriate to Bangalore’s culture. I am not anti-technology. I use all of it in my work.  But when you build a modern building, do you respect the old building next door? If you want to build something new, you don´t have to destroy the old.”

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What she said is true of all big and growing cities in India that in order to chase the glass and concrete model of progress are letting go of architectural landmarks. And if we argue that historic buildings are no longer relevant to our cityscapes then what are we creating over the rubble of what are destroying? The greatest cities in the world are known for allowing history to co-exist with the future except where there is no history to speak of. But India, was once full of well-planned, Geographically, environmentally contextual buildings. We as a country always understood organic architecture and we understood grandeur, scale, the relationship of water, air and weather with a building and yet, in the urge to embrace change, we have forgotten our own intrinsic knowledge and are now building glass fronted buildings that trap heat and exude it even in cities that need no air-conditioning.
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The recent devastation at Uttarakhand shows us what thoughtless deforestation and the greed of unscrupulous builders can do to an eco-sensitive region. Most Indian cities are growing without planning and cannot even stand up to one bad monsoon leave alone a major natural calamity like an earthquake. Progress is also eating into public spaces, green covers and we have lost sight of the fact that as human beings we need fresh air, silent zones and the presence of art not just in galleries but in our sterile cities.
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Recently well-known photographer Clare Arni photographed street art in Bangalore but if we look around no matter which city we live in, the presence of art forms that can co-exist with us are few and far between.  Some half-hearted attempts are made to beautify underpasses and overbridges but thoughtfully created sculptures, murals, landscaping, even intelligent graffiti in designated spaces are absent though the erstwhile chief-minister of UP thought nothing of blowing up crores on badly made statues of elephants and herself all across Lucknow, a city once known for its refinement and culture.  Compare this to the City of Bend (Central Oregon, USA) that has  since 1973, systematically transformed its roundabouts, offices, parks, public libraries and more with cutting edge sculptures, murals and installations.Responsible for this is, Art in Public Places, a non-profit movement committed to enriching  the city’s memoryscape. Why can’t our cities do the same? In an earlier interview to this writer, artist Gurudas Shenoy had opined, “The government must engage the artist community to add aesthetic value to layouts and other public zones. We need more galleries, academies, debate and space for art.”

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Acclaimed artist Yusuf Arakkal had said,”Most of the public art cannot be accepted for its lack of aesthetic integrity. Having travelled across the globe, I have seen that the best public art is conceived and created by great names in the art and equally supported by  government bodies. It is high time that the government  formed an advisory committee – no strings attached- comprising of artists, corporate personalities, officials who are sympathetic to good aesthetics (in cities).”
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His famous contemporary SG Vasudev had also commented, “There are so many places that artists can  make a difference to such as bus shelters, parks,circles, bus and railway stations and airports. The list is unending.” Artist CF John recalled India’s aesthetic past wistfully,“Art was our way of life once. It was the kolam outside the door. The way we displayed vessels in the kitchen. It was in the simplicity and economy with which homes were beautified. It was part of village crafts, festival celebrations where common people from various disciplines came together to celebrate stage craft, music, dance and more.”
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Today we are living in crowded physical spaces but are emotionally disconnected from each other and exist in  creative vacuums. The struggle to earn and spend is relentless. But yes, architecture and public spaces sensitive to the human spirit can change the way we think. And live.
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This article earlier appeared in a newspaper..

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Reema Moudgil has been writing for magazines and newspapers on art, cinema, issues, architecture and more since 1994, is an RJ, hosts a daily Ghazal show, runs unboxed writers, is the editor of Chicken Soup for The Indian Woman’s soul, the author of Perfect Eight (http://www.flipkart.com/perfect-eight-9380032870/p/itmdf87fpkhszfkb?pid=9789380032870&_l=A0vO9n9FWsBsMJKAKw47rw–&_r=dyRavyz2qKxOF7Yuc ) and an artist.

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