In Mumbai, art does not limit itself to the galleries or to the handicraft expos that dot its landscape. It can be found on its streets too. The saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ can be clearly understood when a walk through some of the city’s streets or vantage points highlights artists who show many interesting creations, all adding one more brushstroke or one more element in their design to attract would-be buyers.
Wire workers are found across town, but a good place to pick colourful pieces would be outside the Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, where a few artists have made themselves a permanent fixture. For just Rs 10, lovers of interactive art can buy quaint wire puzzles in a variety of shapes. The other bigger pieces are all made of a single uncut piece of wire and cost up to Rs 400. Cycles and even roosters seem to be a favourite of these wire workers and some even add pieces of plastic pipe to give it that extra colour.
All the way across town, in Khar, bamboo mat-makers sitting on footpaths can be found making intricate mats all day long. The cost of one of these depends of the intricacy of the design required.
At a stone’s throw away, sit the potters. Although they don’t exactly come to work with portable kilns, they will customise just about any shape and use any desired colour – it’s all about keeping their clientele happy too.
Almost every single Mumbaiite has seen the talented name-on-rice artists. Taking it a step further and for just about the same price, some artists will draw designs and add colour on a tiny little grain of rice.
Some artists prefer to express on canvas while others prefer the more delicate – a leaf from a peepul tree. Parked outside the Jehangir Art Gallery, the leaf painter sits with an array of designs which he has meticulously painted onto these tiny leaves. Moreover, by pasting them into a conveniently cut white background, he makes decorative cards too. Costing between Rs 20 and Rs 40, an artistic handmade greeting card makes for a great gift.
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