Delhi displayed a new exhibit of public art on 30th January, the 66th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, which was also a tribute to the Father of the Nation himself. The Delhi Police Headquarters now proudly sports a 158 feet long, black-and-white mural of Mahatma Gandhi.
Unveiled by the Lieutenant Governor of New Delhi four days after Republic Day, this mural was a collaboration of the German artist Hendrik Beikirch and the Indian painter Anpu Varkey. The tallest mural of the country is fitting for the most iconic man of the nation, who took inspiration from Henry David Thoreau’s ideology of Civil Disobedience, and Leo Tolstoy’s ideas passive resistance, to liberate the country form the British Raj.
The greyscale Gandhi, bespectacled, white drape adorning his shoulder, and a faint peaceful smile, can be clearly visible from the Metro, especially between the Mandi House and Pragati Maidan stations.
On 24th January, the first day of the painting, the artists started painting the eyes. Said Mr. Beikirch, “Once you get the eyes right, everything else follows.” Which indeed it did, since in mere five days the mural was ready for display. This was made possible by an adjoining mosque, whose roof the artists scaled to keep track of the progress on the mural. The close proximity of the mosque symbolizes the secularism that Gandhiji himself strived for.
The mural was made during the street art and graffiti festival in New Delhi. Upon the choice of the organizers to go with the face of Gandhi, the organizer Hanif Qureshi felt that it was “a safe, wise and non-controversial choice”. The police fraternity still took a month to permit them to carry on this project.
Mr. Qureshi feels that this large exhibit will help in the abundant street art of Delhi to be recognized as legitimate art, instead of mere vandalism.