Students turn college walls into canvas for a cause

Environmental disasters such as the flooding of the city in December 2015, Cyclone Vardah last year, and the recent oil spill off Ennore coast have led to a lot of discussion about issues plaguing the city. 

In a bid to sensitise people about the impact of humans on nature, 28 panels on the exterior walls of Stella Maris College, will convey the message effectively. The college intends to inculcate in students the need to care for and preserve the environment with this project. Hope for the World will illustrate the changing relationship between man and nature. 

Whilst depicting man’s oneness with nature, the painted panels will illustrate how man has inflicted destruction upon environment through deforestation, escalation of technology, exploitation of resources and so on. Imagery derived from the folk idiom will be interspersed with evocative quotes in the hope of inspiring Chennai to respect and preserve her beautiful environs. Two hundred students, both under-graduate and post-graduate, will paint approximately 1,500 square feet on this theme of hope, in a bid to create awareness of our distressing situation. 

Gallery Veda had collaborated with Stella Maris for a similar project, Art Chennai in 2014 which was a roaring success. So, they decided to come on board this time as 

well. Preeti Garg, founder of Gallery Veda says, “It is always interesting to work on art projects in public places. It engages a lot many people and has the power to make a difference.” 

The city has been facing numerous environmental issues over the last few years. When the college decided to use the medium of art to raise awareness, we decided to jump in immediately.” Each panel will put across a story and raise an important concern. 

Talking further about the project, Dr Margaret Thomas, Head of Department, Department of Fine Arts at Stella Maris put forth, “We have been considering redoing our walls for a while now. Last time we had got a very positive feedback for Art Chennai. We decided to do something similar. 

“The growing environmental concerns is at the heart of the projects. Although the students have exams towards the end of the month, they have been working hard on the project.”