Making Bengaluru beautiful, bit by bit

Bengaluru: Art in public spaces started small, in discreet little corners of the city. It wasn’t long before it snowballed into a major initiative, with artists from all over the world using their medium to celebrate and better Bengaluru.

On Saturday evening, Bengalureans were witness to a very special performance under Richmond Road flyover. Created by artist Jerome Chazeix, in collaboration with Jaaga (which is responsible for the art work covering the flyover) and the Goethe Institut, “We Make the City” had over 35 participants.

“I came here two months ago and was impressed by Bengaluru’s energy. That’s what I wanted to capture through my work,” he said. Chazeix specialises in multi-media art and the synthesis of different forms - sculpture, music and architecture are among his favourite.

Poetry, music, dance, art and a parade were part of this massive multi-layered project, with artists from different genres proclaiming the beauty of Bengaluru. “We used very upbeat electronic tracks, which were put together by Nikhil Narendra,” said Chazeix. Dancers Avril Unger and Preethi Sunderajan choreographed a performance that took place under the flyover as well.

“When I applied for residency, I knew I wanted to work with Jaaga, because they work with the city,” he said. However, Chazeix has deliberately chosen not to touch upon Bengaluru’s many civic issues, preferring to keep his vision focused on a city that has grown out of nowhere to dominate the world. “Nobody would have predicted that Bengaluru would be as big or important as it is now,” said Chazeix. “It has grown like a monster, though and I don't mean to put the city down in anyway when I say that. It’s also a magnet for people from everywhere now.”

The artists worked on their bits by themselves, once the overall idea was given to them, Chazeix said. “Our actual rehearsal time was very short, we just met under the flyover and let things come together. I felt like a conductor of an orchestra,” he said.

The venue, an unusual choice, was picked with intent, he added. “Jaaga aims to connect the city with its people and culture, which I really appreciate.” The idea was also to capture the sights and sounds of Bengaluru in its essence and the Richmond Road flyover seemed as good a spot as any. “The project is about the city and its people. We had all kinds of people gather round to watch the performance that evening and being an art gallery would have restricted a lot of audiences.”