Department of Forests and Wildlife, Puducherry
This involved showcasing the four common venomous snakes of peninsular India (Spectacled Cobra, Indian Krait, Russell’s Viper and Saw-Scaled Viper) and their likeness for the education of the general public. We created life sized sculptures of nine snakes for an outdoor public space, in addition to interpretative signage.
Gass Forest Museum, Coimbatore
This is one of the oldest museums in the country. We were commissioned to refurbish the museum and give it a more aesthetically appealing look without compromising the existing collections in the museum. The work needed quite a bit of ingenuity and involved the creation of life-sized sculptures of large animals, interpretative signage, indoor landscaping, refurbishing of antique furniture and models, and the cleaning and remounting of the hundreds of animal trophies and skins contained in the collection.
The highlight of the exhibition space is a three dimensional diorama, approximately 25m x 3m, of a rocky forest landscape complete with sculptures of a tiger, a family of lion-tailed macaques, an Indian python swallowing a spotted deer, a king cobra, and a ficus tree amongst many other minor items. A stuffed gaur (Indian bison), presented by the Maharaja of Mysore, and a few other fully stuffed specimens were also used to give a realistic feel to the exhibition.
There’s a good article from the Hindu on the reopening of the museum here.
Toll plazas along the ECR from Chennai to Puducherry
Eye catching paintings of local wildlife on Kadappa stone were erected at both tollgates between Chennai and Puducherry, along the East Coast Road (ECR).
Maintenance update: A few of the paintings have faded noticeably since they have no shade and have not been touched up since they were commissioned nine years ago.
Customers and fans of outdoor art please note: if artworks are left out in direct sunlight, the colours will fade, so repainting maintenance should ideally be undertaken every three years or so. Therefore, it is most economical not to place the art in direct sunlight without any kind of shade.
Butterfly Garden at WIPRO, Electronic City, Bangalore
It was a pleasure to collaborate with ATREE on this project: the Art Department enhanced the landscape features of the butterfly garden with confluent paintings on large granite slabs and stone sculptures, and our Butterly Expert provided background information about the life cycle of Indian butterflies.
Marine Interpretation Centre, Kundakal (near Rameswaram)
This was a joint UNDP and Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GoMBRT) undertaking. The concept was essentially that when one entered the building the atmosphere should be almost as if one was underwater. The highlight of the whole exercise was a three dimensional 18 ft x 9 ft model of a coral reef with hundreds of associated life forms.
Niligiri Biosphere Nature Park, Anaikatti (near Coimbatore)
This is an eco-park that is visited by many tourists and school groups. Sensitizing them to wildlife is an essential part and in this context some paintings and models were developed which enhanced both conservation education and recreation.
