The second edition of the Ukkadam Art District project, organised by the Coimbatore Corporation in association with St+art India Foundation and Asian Paints, was inaugurated recently at Ukkadam.
A release said that Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji inaugurated the project at the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) tenements in Ukkadam on October 31. Ukkadam Art District involves painting of murals on the walls of the tenements to promote street art. “Started in 2020, this ongoing project will feature between October and November 2021 five contemporary artists who will contribute with their unique works to establish and expand the art district,” the release said.
The project will be carried out in three phases namely carrying out a pre-commencement survey “to initiate public engagement in the art-making process,” painting the murals based on the survey and conducting workshops and other community engagement activities. For the second edition, the organisers will involve the support from local stakeholders like Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore and CREDAI – Coimbatore Chapter.
“There are around 1,200 families living here and it is a thriving public place to demonstrate art and artists — that’s one of the main reasons for identifying this place,” the release quoted Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara as saying. Ukkadam Art District is India’s sixth and the State’s second open-air public art gallery, according to the release.
