India’s Very First Street Art Festival Looks Amazing

Some exciting news from the streets of Dehli!

India is showcasing what is being called “India’s First Street Art Festival” in the south Delhi neighborhood of Shahpur Jat. This past spring, the neighborhood hosted a number of local and international artists to paint the walls of their city.

According to Huffington Post, the project was possible with the help of artists, professionals, art school students, and those who joined the Goethe-Institut and the Italian and Polish cultural institutes in Delhi.

“With volunteers, supplies, and a lot of community outreach, the event organizers were able to bring the artists and help get walls for them– an effort which took about a year and a half of serious planning to bring to fruition.”

The project began by asking permission from the locals and wall owners. Because the idea of street art was very new to the netizens, some were confused and even irritated with what was going on.

Thankfully, even more people were intrigued by the idea of street art.

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“Once we started, there was so much noise about what was happening,” one artist commented. “People were always looking after you, and looking for you. There were people always around you. There was this kid that would come by almost everyday, just standing there, talking to you about your work.. So there was a bit of buzz around here.”

Soon, the neighborhood began embracing the art popping up on their walls. One artist pointed out that confusion turned into happiness that their neighborhood was helping to build the culture of street art.

Among the various murals set up, there is a portrait of a strong woman which aims to empower Indian woman. The artist notes that the painting represents respect, security and the message that they should be free.

Even more impressive was a piece on the Delhi Police Headquarters. This work, which is the tallest one of the 75 pieces created around Delhi, is a portrait of Gandhi that measures 150 by 38 feet.