Phoenix Market City fashioning the art of drawing customers

Phoenix Market City, Bangalore, has taken an innovative route to engage the discerning customers in Bangalore. The mall has displayed exquisite works of art by renowned artistes for public viewing. The displays have been arranged in a manner that visitors can enjoy both the shopping experience and appreciate the art on display at the same time.

Shashi Kumar, Senior Centre Director, Phoenix Market City, explained that the idea behind the art initiative was to deepen the engagement with the visitors. "Malls are larger community engagement centres that cut across society. Through this engagement, the art pieces get recognised as serious works and the artists also get appreciated,” he said.

The benefits from this initiative are two-pronged: a greater shopping experience for the visitors and an appreciate audience for the artists. Speaking on the expansion plans, Kumar said, "We are exploring more opportunities in this area. We want to make this journey more interesting for customers by introducing new elements every three months.”

Art on Display: Depicting Life

Each display tells its own story:

•    'Formal-Informal', by Bhabatosh Sutar, Kolkata: Formality is a definition of rules and discipline. It tries to comb informality in the regular way. But at times informality, hard as metal, stands against the design of formality.

•    'Where I am', by Sanjay Kumar Rajwar, Vadodra; Metaphorically speaking, the artist uses clothing to represent that the outer layer not only protects and nurtures one's growth but also represents the personality of a person.

•    'Nature's Music', by Ritesh Rajput', Vadodara: Nature is playing this huge pure white marble guitar to take you back to the days of sweet chirping of birds in the morning.

•    'Bone Bicycle', by Ritesh Rajput', Vadodara: What will happen to the bicycle if everyone turns fast and furious? We are living in most polluted era. Our passion for speed kills environment to a slow death every day.

•    'Buffalo in Pond', by Ritesh Rajput', Vadodara: These buffaloes love to get submerged in pond water. They are telling you to take time out of your busy schedule and get submerged into the "pond of life”.

•    Who is Playing Game', by Ketan Narendrabhai Amin, Vadodara: As we grew up in life, we learned to play weird games like game of love, game of passion, game of friendship, game of ego, game of power. It is an illusion that no one is noticing while we are playing these games.

•    'Farmer', by Chetan Parmar, Vadodara: It's raining!!! But this giant farmer is busy working in fields. He has covered himself with a jute bag. He knows that this is the best time to work which will make his future for better.

•    'Jumping Dog', by Mrunal Kahar, Vadodara: This dog is jumping from frames to frames. A frame is symbolic to "vantage point”. He is looking forward to find his "summit” one day. He is restless and ever energetic with confidence.

•    'Reality Check', by Sanjay Kumar Rajwar, Vadodara: This is a spiritual "leg" which has images of great people like Mother Teresa, Swami Vivekanand, Shri Aurobindo, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Sachin Tendulkar. All came from diverse economic and social strata of our society. Their modesty and humanity kept them on the grounds and in people's heart.

•     'Mirror', by Rahul Mukherjee, Vadodara: This symbolizes that humans keep searching for their own identity in others.