Seamlessly blending art and community service, The UmbrellArt Project by Method Art Gallery offers a unique and meaningful way to support the bustling street culture synonymous with Mumbai, especially in the midst of its torrential monsoon downpours. The innovative public art initiative is simple yet impactful, and is set to inject vibrant colour into the streetscape by supporting the outdoor street vendors braving the rains.
Armed with a creative ensemble of five talented artists working across the spectrum—namely Ashna Malik, Kunel Gaur, Aniruddh Mehta from Big Fat, Zahra Baldiwala from Ruining Magazines, and Sid G from Toosid—this project by Method Art Gallery keeps functional utility in mind while aiming to add a little colour to the streets.
The original designs from these artists find expression in both consumer umbrellas and garden-sized umbrellas used for outdoor stalls. For every consumer umbrella purchased, the latter will be donated to an outdoor street vendor, effectively sheltering them from the sun and rain while peppering the streets with a flavour of vibrant public art with a project that is at once simple but impactful.