Pune: An art installation weighing over a tonne and made out of scrap steel , which is a gift to the city by Alliance Francaise (AF), Pune, will be unveiled by French Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou at Kamala Nehru Park on May 31. The gift is a gesture to honour India-French ties and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the French institute in the city that works to promote the language. The sculpture has been made with scrap steel donated by French companies working in India.
A total of 140 residents associated with Alliance Francaise, such as students from the French department at Savitribai Phule Pune University, IISER Pune, Rubika International Animation School, BMCC, SMEF’s Brick School of Architecture, and members of partner organisations such as Michelin India Technology Centre and Quebec Consulate participated in six workshops held in this regard conducted by local artist Raju Sutar over the last two months. Every batch collectively made a couple of sculptures that were then assembled into a single large piece at Kamala Nehru Park by Sutar. “All participants were non-artists who came together to make art through upcycling.
I received their undivided attention during the workshops. While working with the scrap metal, we had discussions about art in the city and other parts of the world. I am always on the lookout for opportunities to talk about art in general because, as a society, we are not in the habit of doing so usually, or walking into art galleries and looki.
