LODHI ART DISTRICT

LUIS GOMEZ ECHEVERRI

// Luis was born in Colombia and now lives in Vienna, Austria after a long international career, working on climate change and other environmental policy issues. Luis loves the arts and has a special penchant for street art. Luis shares his photos from the Lodhi Art District in New Delhi.

“Creativity takes courage”

Henri Matisse

What draws you to art?

“Two things: First, its diversity and that it is so ubiquitous. So, if one has an eclectic taste, like mine, then I find art everywhere. I love that. I think that I am fortunate. Second, I love the fact that one can learn so many things from art showing us things that we need to be aware of – some good like love, compassion, sensuousness, fun and our history so that we can avoid repeating the mistakes; and some bad like hate, violence, prejudice, and despair so that we are aware that these exist and need to find ways to cope with them.”

What impressed you most about Lodhi?

“I used to know that area many years ago when the walls had no art. It was a very boring neighbourhood for civil servants with little to offer in my view. Once these walls came to life with its art, the whole neighbourhood became one of the most interesting areas of Delhi. Businesses and tourism thrived and I suspect that people felt happier. And also, most of it is art with a message: the environment, transgender and women’s rights, equality, culture comparisons (India and Mexico) to show some commonalities, celebrating the great power of women of India, and many other themes. It is extraordinary.”

Luis visited the area on a 2019 trip to photograph some of the fantastic murals. Lodhi Colony dates back to British colonial days, as the last housing estate built by the British. Now it proudly represents India´s first open-air art district, where 50 street artists from India and around the world painted the colourful murals that now grace many streets. The project was started by St+art India, a non-profit organisation that wants to place art in the streets to make it accessible to everyone, beyond museums and art galleries.

Images are cropped for layout. Click on the photos to see the original version.