[Photo Sparks] Art for all, all for art: creativity at the 13th Chitra Santhe in Bengaluru

PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In this photo essay, we showcase the diversity of paintings at the annual Chitra Santhe in Bangalore, one of India’s largest street fairs celebrating art!

In the earlier 75 posts, we brought you a wide range of creative photographs from an art fair, world music festival, painting fair, telecom expo, art museum, mobile showcase, math museum, social hackathon, bookstore, co-working space, sensorium, international design week, flower show, outdoor ads, startup roadshow, computer museum, startup T-shirts, business cards, art therapy, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, Vesak, jazz festival, modern art gallery, ecopreneurs, painter-poets, health activists, eNGOs and digital innovators.

The annual Chitra Santhe was back in Bangalore this week with a whopping 400,000 estimated visitors (see last year’s three-part photo essay here). The two-kilometre sidewalks of Kumar Krupa Road became a living art gallery for the 13th edition of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath’s annual showcase. The objective of the event is ‘art for all, and all for art,’ according to CKP’s Secretary D.K. Chowta.

Murals, sculptures, cartoons, sketches and mixed-media works were also featured. With the thousands of works of art on display, even 10 hours did not seem enough to sample the diverse art works or engage with the artists in conversation. Painting displays and children’s workshops dotted the day’s agenda, with dozens of portrait artistes and street food vendors as well.

As always, the visual extravaganza from 1,200 artists was a treat for art lovers, an eye-opener for the common citizen, and a source of inspiration for entrepreneurs to think out of the box. A highlight this year was the 14-feet elephant mascot built by students, made from a steel frame, cotton waste and coloured paper – sending out a strong message of love and respect for nature.

Through a mix of collages and close-ups, this photo collection highlights the creative diversity of Indian artists, ranging from tribal life to T-shirts, from the sensuous to the spiritual.

Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]!

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.