For many of us living in Bengaluru, its global reputation as India’s Silicon Valley only tells a part of the story. Because even though the city houses a seemingly endless number of startups and tech giants, it’s also home to those creatively-inclined in other fields, from pioneering playwrights and chefs to painters and musicians.
These kinds of innovators don’t get half the attention but CurleyStreet Media, a creative film production company in the city, wants to change that with a five-episode web series showcasing some of Bengaluru’s most exciting independent artists. Titled #UNFRAMED, the series is designed to display unconventional people and unexpected projects, as well as reveal another side to one of south India’s most talked-about cities.
“We chose to highlight artists in Bangalore not only because it’s our home but because these artists represent a different set of voices from this city,” CurleyStreet Media said in an email. “There is so much more to Bangalore than just tech parks and beer.”
That’s clear from the very first episode, released on June 01, which features the artist Nithin Sadhu, an engineering college dropout who now makes surprisingly detailed artwork using humble brown packaging tape. In the video, Sadhu recalls his father’s shock and confusion over his son’s unconventional career choice, as an entire cityscape emerges on a canvas, crafted using just a knife and a few rolls of tape.
“When people see my work, they look at me as if I’m some sort of magician,” Sadhu says.
Next up is an episode shot at the verdant home of Kaveri Gopalakrishnan, a comic book artist who grew up with a passion for drawing and telling stories. Today she’s known for her colourful illustrations that often feature women front and centre. The video showcases Gopalakrishnan’s impressive range as she draws and paints quirky characters and scenes with a little touch of fantasy.
In the episodes to come, released on YouTube every Thursday this month, CurleyStreet plans to highlight a mural artist injecting some much-needed colour into Bengaluru’s streets, a “Motorcyle Monet” known for his custom automobile art, and a German-born doll and puppet-maker who now calls the dyanmic city her home.