Background
St+art in Conversation
The 'St+art India Foundation' returns to New Delhi. Especially with the world-class project 'The Lodhi Art District,' the organisation has made a name for itself. The joint project GT #Murals with the Goethe-Institut brings new street art to Chennai and Delhi.
St+art India Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2014 with the intent of making art more democratic. By taking art out of the conventional spaces such as museums and galleries, and embedding it within the spaces we inhabit and navigate everyday, St+art explores the synergy between art and its ability to transcend socio-cultural barriers. Thus, it leads to an exchange of ideas through unique and collectively shared experiences in public spaces.
Our cities are built of concrete and stone, as entities of function - for life and livelihoods. They exist as inert structures for thousands of people to traverse through everyday. Would the experience of using the same spaces change with the infusion of art? Would it be possible to create spaces that are functional, but also act as interactive cultural wefts?
Indian streets are very unique. They are a microcosm of the millions of diverse voices that co-exist in this vast nation of ours. They are a vibrant amalgamation of the most diverse activities and transform into spaces for public gatherings, celebrations, and in general, livelihoods. Spaces full of stories and local narratives have existed over hundreds of years, steeped in rich tradition and history. Would enabling artists and urban practitioners in such an environment lead to the creation of meaningful and engaging ideas that resonate with a large set of people?
With the aim of reimagining public spaces through art, while providing a platform for artists to express themselves, the St+art India Foundation was formed in 2014.
Through permanent art districts, temporary experiential exhibitions, installations, performances, and community-based projects, St+art India Foundation builds cohesive networks between Indian and international artists, enabling a flow of communication and resources, whilst putting India on the global urban art map. By creating alternate avenues for urban artists to express themselves, St+art has fostered the nascent street art scene in India which has exponentially grown, preserving and presenting an Indian identity that connects with both local and international audiences.
Furthermore, India has had a rich history of vernacular artforms which are slowly fading with the advent of digital technology. Integrating these age-old practices within the context of urban art projects the Foundation enables local artists to preserve their lineage by contemporising their crafts and opening them up to unexplored futures.