History is replete with instances of changing regimes vandalising the monuments and structures of previous regime, but such vandalism is not expected in a democracy, which is defined by a continuum of the government.
A number of sculptures on the Beach Road, which were created by 21 eminent artists from across the country in a sculpture camp organised by the Municipal Corporation of Visakhapatnam from December 26 1998 to January 7, 1999, are now vandalised by the ‘insensitive’ civic administration. The Sculpture Park on the Beach Road reflects the insensitivity of the people of the city and their administrators to fine arts especially sculptures.
Unfortunately, this is the reality in a city where people want to be noted as connoisseurs and the city itself is staking claim to being the cultural capital of the State.
ADVERTISEMENT
One finds a three-layer sculpture ‘Sunset by the Sea’ by eminent artist Balbir Singh Katt of Benares broken because nobody understands what it is. There is another sculpture that has been broken and its pedestal too is missing. A pair of sculptures inside a circular structure lies amidst overgrown weed.
A number of these sculptures are now a part of the landscaped garden inside Rajiv Smruthi Bhavan compound. The compound wall of the memorial to former prime minister has conveniently subsumed the work of a famous artist. ‘Four Women’ by Professor Dakshina Murthy of Chennai has become a part of the compound wall and a couple of thick painted bars go across the face of the sculpture eclipsing it.
ADVERTISEMENT
Now the ongoing works of the Tourism Department to beautify the Beach Road have pushed the fine works into the background with glitzy artificial structures of imaginary and extinct creatures getting to be in the limelight with focused and coloured lighting.