Mumbai Locals and the World of Art – Sushma Sabnis
The linear tracks move parallel mostly, marrying
and divorcing at times like star crossed lovers, while
the metal compartments of a train untiringly carry
ambitions, dreams, hope, memories, love, livelihoods
and at times even death. These rail tracks play a
vasculo-circulatory role in the ever expanding body
of the city. The speeding metal beast gracefully dances
to the tune of the rhythmic ‘lub-dub’ of Mumbai’s
beating heart while every creative mind conjures up
millions of images and concepts from these inspiring
metallic muses Sushma Sabnis.
central trans-harbour and harbour lines along with out-bound train lines. Modelled on
the London suburban railways, these trains, or ‘locals’ as they are called, totally run a
system length of about 427kms.
When one refers to inspirations, one would recall the number of Indian artists,
painters, sculptors, writers, cartoonists, film makers and several others who have used
local trains as a support/ backdrop or prime focus of their specific art/craft while they
continue to commute.
Unlike London’s ‘Art on the Underground’ program, Mumbai has its own way of
incorporating art into its local train sensibility and vice versa. The paintings of artist
Sudhir Patwardhan come to mind, as he has been subtly introducing an urban context in
his paintings from the 80s and 90s. Recently, The Guild art gallery, Mumbai, presented
a series of works by the painter titled ‘Route Maps’ with a few works referring to the
railway/ local train stations/platforms as a backdrop.
His painting, ‘Father’s Story’ (2012), captures the tender moment of a father handing
over his wisdom to his son, in an open space of a platform where the name of the
station seems obscured, implying a juncture in life. The image concentrates on these
two men of different ages, sitting on a bench on a platform, holding hands, without
looking at each other. The wisdom imparted with the suggested movement of trains, a
metaphor for life and its situations where one leaves, travels and arrives. The presence
of a constant supportive force in this journey of life is symbolised by the reassuring
holding of hands.
In another painting, ‘Blur’ (2012) an old man looks out of a train window, as
if witnessing life as visuals passing him by, again a metaphor for travels and places
explored inside and outside himself. In one of his earlier works, ‘Train’ (1980), the
artist painted the local train platform in a triptych like composition. With some peopledisplayed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), a spot which acts as a daily
dreamcatcher of thousands of arrivals from all over with their bags of dreams and
ambitions.
From land to sea, Brinda Miller has also created a large heritage maritime mural
on the Lion Gate Naval Dockyard road close to CST, a 150 ft wall which encloses
the naval office buildings. The mural project was done in collaboration with several
artists from Mumbai, portraying a view of the Mumbai coastline when seen from the
sea using symbols of maritime significance. With her penchant for public art, and
on a mission to transform the Kalaghoda Art district aesthetically, Brinda Miller
is one of the few artists of these times whose public art practices have a distinct
humanitarian essence.
While Brinda Miller’s works address social issues in an outspoken language of
public art, the works of young artist Yogesh Barve toggle between what could be
perceived as personal and public.
It is said that when sweat becomes saline like the surrounding sea, and blood
smells like the iron of local trains, one can be sure that Mumbai has claimed one as
her own. Yogesh Barve is one such claimed individual. The railway has literally been
his bread and butter as his father works as a signal guard in the Mumbai railways.
Addicted to speed, movement and in tune with the rhythmic heartbeat of Mumbai
locals, Yogesh Barve derives his art aesthetics from this pulsating core.
Moving from a personal association with the railways, Yogesh Barve makes
his quiet and subtle art works in public spaces, like on railway station walls. His
public project in Vasai titled ‘Equality/Inequality’ is his interpretation of the railways
being a great leveler of differences in status and class, unifying a multifarious cross
section of humanity, all moving in one direction towards their destinations. Two