Mumbai: Wall rocks with Sassoon Docks

Walls become a window to the Sassoon world

Colaba's landmark Sassoon Docks has found its moment in the November sun on a wall on the opposite side. Artists have brought the docks scene alive through street art. The wall, which has just been painted, has become a street art gallery. The painting is of the Sassoon Docks and what goes on inside from selling fish, to handcarts bringing the fish and the Koli community (fisherfolk) going about earning their daily livelihood.

The connect

Resident Bella Shah said, "This is a collaborative project by My Dream Colaba (MDC) and Colaba Advanced Locality Management (CALM). The idea was to bring the docks to the people. How many people have gone to these docks and have they seen what is going on inside or, how fish is brought here and then sold? Must be very few. Now, maybe those numbers are slightly up given that some exhibitions are being held in the Sassoon Dock space. Yet overall, they are still minuscule. I told the art team, let us bring the docks to the people of Mumbai so that they understand it. We saw a few visuals on the net, read some history, learnt about its place as a Mumbai landmark and then decided to paint it as we see it. This project was done fairly quickly, wrapped up in a few days."

Makarand Narvekar former corporator said, "We are in modern times but this dock is part of the city's heritage. We needed a window to reflect that. This space is steeped in history and Colaba is the arts capital. So, why not a mural over here, making it part of the fabric of Colaba?" he asked.

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When Narvekar was asked about valid complaints from the locals about the overpowering stench emanating from the docks, there was a meet held earlier this month by different authorities called a ‘mega awareness programme on hygienic handling of fish and shellfish', Narvekar acknowledged that there were people working on solutions. "This does not mean we should not make something aesthetic; we are not digressing from the problems, we will have to address them but can enjoy art as well," he added.

The Kolis are recurring motifs in several street art projects in the city. There is a fiberglass sculpture of a fisherman, called ‘Life Vest Under Our Seat' at a traffic island on the Worli Sea Face.

Art part

Senior artists Sachin Halde and Jeevan Wankhede leading their team of six for this current Colaba project, also have the fisherfolk community as the beating heart of this work of art. Halde said, "This is about bringing the Sassoon Docks alive and actually making it ‘accessible' to Mumbaikars, in a way. I wanted the art to be realistic. The wall should speak to people; tell its stories, passers-by must literally have a ‘film' about Sassoon Docks running through their minds when they see this. It is not about abstract art; it is about blending aesthetics and realism."

Artist Jeevan Eknath Wankhede stated, "This wall was hardly given any attention. The art gives the rushing public a stop ‘n' stare moment. The colour scheme is deliberately earthy as we did not want to make it overly colourful. Sometimes, it is better to press the ‘mute button' on your paintbrush as very bright colours may give the impression that the work has been forced."

Walls have ears goes the adage and this one seems to have a voice too, telling locals let art uplift your urban spaces. The visual makeover of this wall, with acrylic watercolours may make people start a conversation about the place of street art in a city which has so many civic infra challenges. This wall seems to say: make that conversation Sassoon-er rather than later.