From scrap to sculpture: Story of Odisha’s waste to art museum in offing

  • | Monday | 19th November, 2018

The state’s first waste museum is expected to send the message that nothing is beyond the scope of art.visits the project site and finds common scrap being put to unusual use:The state’s first open-air waste museum will come up in the capital city on Tuesday. So we decided to turn the venue into an open-air museum,” he said.The art museum is expected to cost Rs 5 crore. “An event involving over 100 international artists might be held in 2020,” he added. “People can visit it without paying any entrance fee,” he added.Khitish Das, an art enthusiast, said the museum would attract people, especially artists and art lovers, to this part of the city. “As we have spent so much money on creating art, we don't want to abandon it after the symposium ends.

The state’s first waste museum is expected to send the message that nothing is beyond the scope of art.visits the project site and finds common scrap being put to unusual use:The state’s first open-air waste museum will come up in the capital city on Tuesday. To be inaugurated by chief minister Naveen Patnaik , the museum will display 21 sculptures and installations made out of waste by national and international artists.The artists began work on the sculptures from November 1, as part of the First International Public Art Symposium organized by charitable trust Artists Network Promoting Indian Culture (Anpic) at the museum site at Sector-7, Kalinga Nagar . The work of 14 international and seven Indian artists will find pride of place at this unique museum — the culmination of the public art symposium.Anpic will develop and promote the museum in collaboration with the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). “The BDA has given over three acres of land for the open-air museum project. It has a boundary wall but we will need to carry out some beautification in and around the site to make it attractive,” said Sashanka Mohapatra , managing trustee of Anpic.Mohapatra said the artists had used a range of junk — defunct car parts, autorickshaws, cycle parts and drums — to work on the sculptures and installations. “As we have spent so much money on creating art, we don't want to abandon it after the symposium ends. So we decided to turn the venue into an open-air museum,” he said.The art museum is expected to cost Rs 5 crore. “It is not a temporary thing. We will make it permanent and the BDA will maintain the art works,” the Anpic official said. Bhabani Shankar Chayani, member (enforcement) of the BDA, said Anpic would develop the museum and hand it over to it for maintenance. “People can visit it without paying any entrance fee,” he added.Khitish Das, an art enthusiast, said the museum would attract people, especially artists and art lovers, to this part of the city. “This will be an important stop for artists,” he added.With the inauguration approaching, the artists are racing against time to give final touches to their work. All 21 pieces are based on themes. While Paddy Bloomer from Ireland has created a piece using the axle of a truck, drums, car parts and wheels, Pruthiraj Sahoo, an Odia artist living in Gujarat, has built the replica of an elephant by using cycle parts.In Bloomer’s work, a cycle wheel is connected to the spherical top of the structure. If a person pedals the wheel, the spherical top will move and create drum beats. “Most of the art here is still so I thought of making art that moves. Children will love it,” he explained.Sahoo has sought inspiration from his childhood days. “In my village Khellar in Pipili of Puri district, I would often see elephants with mahouts atop them. People would give them rice and fruits. We would be on cycles, while the mahouts would be on the elephants. My art combines these two memories,” said the artist, who completed his master’s degree in sculpting two years ago.Chuguli Sahoo, another artist from Odisha, has created a peacock by using a defunct car, broken scooter, cycle wheels, damaged rods and oil drums. “A peacock is one of the beautiful birds on earth. I thought I could use waste to create something beautiful. I hope people will love it,” said Sahoo.Heidi McGeoch from Australia wants to recreate one of the pillars of Ashok, with ‘Satyameva Jayate’ written on it. To be around 35 feet tall, the pillar will use nine damaged oil drums. A wheel will be set on top. “I love Indian culture and chose peace and Buddhism for my art. It will look stunning after the light fittings are done,” she added.Anpic’s Mohapatra said the plan was to add to the collection in the coming years by organising similar art symposia. “An event involving over 100 international artists might be held in 2020,” he added.

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