Mural to adorn Vikas Soudha

Artist Shivakumar and team have taken six months to complete

The Public Works Department entrusted the work of erecting the mural to Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat. The total cost of the mural is Rs 80 lakh. The work, measuring 75X45 sqft, represents State’s culture, its tourist attractions and development achieved in the fields of science and technology.

Mural artist J Shivakumar, a graduate from Chitrakala Parishat, bagged the work order after his proposal for the work was okayed by the government.

He has used copper, brass and fibre glass for his work. For the last six months he has been working on the project at his studio in Kengeri along with his team of 23 artists.
Fixing the mural on the wall would be completed by the end of this month, Shivakumar added.

Depiction of State’s past

Shivakumar said the government wanted depiction of the State’s past, present and its future-projection in terms of culture and development in the work.

“At least 10 artists had sent their proposals for the work. A committee consisting well-known artists approved my design and I got the assignment”, he said.

 “Images depicting rule of Hoysalas are prominently depicted at the base. At the centre portion of the work, images of Karnataka’s tourist spots - Mysore Darasa procession, Shravanabelagola, Bijapur - are shown. The top portion projects the State’s growth in near future. Images of Metro rail and ISRO’s Chandrayana have found prominent display”, he said.

Shivakumar has earlier done a mural of 200X9 sqft for a private company based in Chennai and a 50X45 sqft work for a hotel in Mysore.

Special place

However, he has a special place in his heart for the mural he is doing for Vikas Soudha. “As for as I know no metal mural of this magnitude has been done in the country so far. I am thankful to the government for providing me this opportunity”, he said.