Art on the walls of railway station

BANGALORE: As you enter the City Railway Station in Majestic, you can see an unique rail gallery, hosting murals and art, set up on Platform one. The city railway station’s gallery is also home to paintings depicting the hustle and bustle of life at railway station. Following suit, the Cantonment Railway Station is also getting ready to combine an art experience with travelling by commissioning artists to paint the railway station.“We have started a small movement to promote art and bring it to railway stations. It is called SAFAR — Support and Appreciation for Art and Railways — launched by the South Western Railways Bangalore Division,” said S Mani, Divisional Railway Manager, Indian Railways.The division conducted two art camps, one in March and another in July, where it commissioned artists to paint at railway stations. Fifteen artists from Karnataka attended these camps and the images painted by these artists have been used at the railway station. Recently, the rail division also conducted another art camp, where top artists including S G Vasudev, G N S Mani and M S Murthy were invited to participate.With the theme ‘Railways and the People’, the purpose behind making art a part of these bare walls at the railway station is to create an interface between artists and passers-by, vendors, and railway employees among others. The idea is to demystify art and portray the essence of everyday reality, the organisers say. It makes a huge difference, especially in Bangalore, which had no rail heritage gallery.New Rail Gallery at CantonmentNot restricting with art on walls, the Railways is considering to open a new rail galler at Cantonment station. Announcing this intention, S Mani said,” Earlier, there was no rail gallery in the city of Bangalore. We have set up one in the main station and plan to set up another one in Cantonment.”All about artIn addition to the SAFAR Art camps, the Bangalore Division also commissioned two murals painted by students of Chitrakala Parishat. While one portrays the panoramic view of the Railway Station, the second depicts the Chittara folk art that is intrinsic to Karnataka.