Mumbai: Street Optics

Urban Centre Mumbai has taken a significant step in documenting the urban art that adorns the streets of the city, highlighting the complexities surrounding its creation and purpose. Many of these artworks, often categorized under the broad banner of beautification, lack cohesive themes or practical utility, raising concerns about their contribution to the urban landscape.

In recent years, Mumbai has witnessed a significant uptick in beautification projects, often touted as transformative initiatives aimed at enhancing the city's aesthetics and public spaces. However, the term "beautification" has become somewhat ambiguous, raising questions about the true nature and impact of these efforts. What do these projects entail? Are they genuinely necessary for the city's development, or do they serve as mere cosmetic upgrades? Moreover, do they address the pressing utility needs of the urban populace, or are they primarily focused on visual appeal?

With various themes emerging from these initiatives, ranging from environmental sustainability to cultural heritage, it's essential to critically assess their merit and long-term benefits. As Mumbai continues to evolve, understanding the implications of beautification projects is vital to ensure that they contribute meaningfully to the city's character and the quality of life of its residents.

This initiative aims to foster awareness about the importance of intentionality in urban art, encouraging community engagement and dialogue about what constitutes meaningful beautification.

Aim

The aim is to raise awareness about the need for purposefulness in urban art, encouraging community participation to create meaningful and functional beautification that reflects Mumbai's diverse identity.

Objectives

Document and analyze the existing urban art in Mumbai to explore its themes, styles, and impact on the community.

Raise awareness about the importance of deliberate planning in urban beautification efforts.

Promote the creation of urban art that embodies local culture, history, and the needs of the community.

To develop functional artworks that enhance public area usability by collaborating with artists, local organizations, and urban planners and create a unified vision for urban art and beautification projects.

Documentation of Street Corridors

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In our exploration of Mumbai's streets, we have documented a variety of installations located on medians, footpaths, and even beneath flyovers. The streets identified in the city and suburbs are:

1. City: Streets of CSMT, Byculla and Dadar TT circle.

2. Eastern: Streets of King’s circle, Sion circle and Everard Nagar

3. Western: Streets of Bandra, Santacruz and Juhu