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This is an archive article published on October 14, 2017
‘Mermaid’ helps fix pothole: Bengaluru artiste turns big crater into pond to grab civic bodies’ attention
Yes, not a mannequin or statue, but he was helped in his innovative idea by Kannada actress Sonu Gowda. Dressed in a green outfit, the popular star was seen playfully splashing water sitting on the edge of the pond aka pothole. in Bengaluru's busy street.
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The huge crater-like pothole was filled with rainwater and the artiste turned into a mystic blue pond on Kamraj Road-Cubbon Road junction.(Source: @baadalvirus / Twitter)
Potholes woes are not new to Bengaluru. The conditions of the roads are so deplorable that it has even led to deaths of many people in this. And to gain the attention of authorities, local residents and artistes have been trying unusual ways so that needful measures are taken. Luckily, one such endeavour paid off, and authorities rushed to repair the road, thanks to a viral photo and an artist’s imagination.
A visual artiste Baadal Nanjundaswamy turned a giant city pothole into a magical pond and installed a mermaid! Yes, not a mannequin or statue, but he was helped in his innovative idea by Kannada actress Sonu Gowda. Dressed in a green outfit, the popular star was seen playfully splashing water sitting on the edge of the pond aka pothole. The huge crater-like pothole was filled with rainwater and the artiste turned into a mystic blue pond on Kamraj Road-Cubbon Road junction.
Before! #kamarajroad #potholes #nammabengaluru pic.twitter.com/MrgLTHuXTs
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) October 13, 2017
After! #kamarajroad #potholes #nammabengaluru pic.twitter.com/e1m7QRlDJz
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) October 13, 2017
Earlier in 2016, Gowda joined forces with him and created a a scene from ‘The Frog Prince’.
The pictures went viral quickly, as Netizens lauded their efforts and just in a day, workers were seen filling it up with tar and repairing it. The artiste shared the photo of the work in progress.
Thankew 😇 #bbmp #media #potholes #nammabengaluru #streetart pic.twitter.com/st6S9MD26S
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) October 14, 2017
However, this is not the first time Nanjundaswamy has done something like this. Remember the life-size crocodile that stunned everyone on Bengaluru street in 2015? Yes, it was installed by him. Ever since then the artiste has painted or installed art involving a pothole.
In an expression of his frustration over the lackadaiscal approach of civic authorities in Bangalore, artist Baadal Nanjundaswamy planted a life sized crocodile in a 12-feet-long pot hole on the Sulthanpalya Main Road in 2015. (Source: Express photo)
Dengue! #mosquitoes #mysore #potholes pic.twitter.com/enUmmFu9qW
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) August 3, 2017
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) June 5, 2017
@kukkarahally #mysuru #mcc pic.twitter.com/PhWeSTNg7i
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) March 16, 2017
@Cauverybhawan K G Road, Bangalore @shruthabharana pic.twitter.com/x6nOi9mSEq
— baadal nanjundaswamy (@baadalvirus) March 11, 2017
Earlier this year, Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra too was impressed by his art and extended his hand to support him for future work.
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