Rediscovery of Bangalore: Landmarks play muse to aspiring artists

As the city grows, it is becoming more alien to its citizens, especially the large migrant population. So much so that relics of the past like Tipu’s Summer Palace or sprawling spaces like the Cubbon Park rarely make it to their mind space.

So artist Krishna Prasad saw an opportunity to introduce them to familiar landmarks through art. He began holding workshops there to encourage aspiring artists to look at the city anew while teaching them to sketch and paint.

“There are many people who’ve come from other parts of the country and made Bangalore their home. Most of them haven’t heard of Tipu’s summer palace or the Bugle Rock Park or that Cubbon Park’s name was changed thrice,” he says.

His workshop not only inspires people to appreciate the beauty of the city but also encourages those who had never picked up a paintbrush to dabble in a bit of art. Jagadish Kumar, who works in the software industry, attended the workshop three months ago to get some formal training in art and rediscover the city he was born and bred in. “It was my first time in Tipu’s summer palace,” he says with a smile.

Kumar picked up plenty about tools and techniques while rediscovering old landmarks such as Eid Gah Maidan and Cubbon Park. For amateur artists, the weekly meetings were a great way to see more of the city they had lived in for a few months. “Every place was new to me,” says Arun Murthy Battula, an art enthusiast from Hyderabad who moved to the city a year ago.

Learning about line, form and perspective in dynamic settings like Gandhi Bazaar, Lalbagh, Cubbon Park, and capturing the mood of these places was just the thing he was looking for, he says.

Battula completed the workshop but returned when a new batch went out to a different location, just to practise what he had learned. That the workshop is spread across 10 weeks and happens only on Sundays suits enthusiasts like Kumar and Battula well. Last year, 72 people including architects, interior designers, animation students, doctors, IT professionals and senior citizens were trained.

“Many people who’ve trained with us return to practise,” says Prasad. He is planning another project ‘Discover Bengaluru through photography, How to see and take better picture.’ ‘Discover Bengaluru through water colour’, a 10-week class on exploring water colour, is also planned. Those who sign up will be taken to Lalbagh, Sheshagiri Hall, Bal Bhavan, CKP and Bugal Rock Park.