Mural Mode In Full Effect

We have entered the last phase of our immersion into Dharavi: The Intervention - which can safely be called Mural Mode. With less than three weeks left until our multi-media exhibition showcasing our work and forcing a dialog about the connections and disconnections between the “West” and a “Slum,” we have a renewed sense of energy and are pushing to make the most of our remaining precious days. A major manifestation of this energy is taking shape in a series of bright and colorful murals that are literally transforming the visual landscape of the already surreal 13th Compound neighborhood in Dharavi.

Thoughts From A Ladder from Artefacting Mumbai on Vimeo.

Mentally and physically exhausting, time consuming, and comical can all be used to describe some of our experiences while preparing and executing our first three murals. These include the facelift to the ACORN community center, the Welcome sign at a key entry point into Dharavi, and our latest offering, The White Meets the Black in Dharavi.

Saddam Hussein Talks About Art from Artefacting Mumbai on Vimeo.

With each additional mural it seems that the number of people that recognize us doubles - we can’t walk down a street in the 13th Compound without people shouting our names and exclaiming “Welcome!” or shouting “Paint! Nice!” We now have a list of people that have asked us to paint their homes or businesses - a testament to not just our work but more importantly the people of Dharavi embracing our presence and the project. If we can sustain the energy required to continue painting these murals, a small section of this “slum” is going to have a new identity to celebrate and share with other Outsiders. Perhaps tourists will stop coming to Dharavi to see poverty and instead come to see art - art inspired by the people that live here!

Click through photos from our latest mural below with an added mini-mural session that Alex did after we finished the big job, and stay tuned for more updates from Mural Mode.