Dharavi, located in Mumbai and the biggest slum in Asia, is getting ready for a makeover as it will become host to the “world’s first slum museum” to showcase the hidden talents of the slum dwellers.
The artists who have teamed up for the
“Design Museum Dharavi” aims at rewriting the apocalyptic imagery of Dharavi
portrayed in blockbuster movies, best-selling books and tabloids. Other
than what the world has seen of Dharavi, its homes are built by experienced
government engineers and contractors in bricks, steel and cement, by
experienced teams of contractors with the help of able plumbers, electricians
and carpenters.
This
museum has been designed to be a mobile 13 by 6 foot caravan. Rubio says that
the design of this museum was inspired by the thousands of nomadic craftsmen
that reside in Dharavi. The museum opens in February and will keep moving to
different streets every two weeks. One of the lesser known facts about the
Dharavis is their exquisite pottery skills passed on from generations which
will be part of the exhibits of the breakthrough museum.
Besides
pottery, the exhibits will include leather, ceramics, film screenings and
popular Indian street food as well. The museum will also host events by locals
along with workshops on how to build kites which is very popular among the
Dharavian kids. The museum is going to be managed completely by Dharavi after
its debut month when the museum’s team will return to Netherlands.
The
organisers of 'Design Museum Dharavi' say they want to challenge people's
perceptions of slums by highlighting the creative talent that resides in them.
More than
a million people live in the maze of alleyways that make up Dharavi with many
working in the area's mini-factories, which produce every kind of goods imaginable. Following
the success of "Slumdog Millionaire", the slum has become a tourist
attraction and guides offer tours of its hundreds of workshops.
In 2010, Britain’s Prince Charles cited
Dharavi as a role model for sustainable living, praising its habit of recycling
waste. Last year, the slum hosted its first art biennial.
According to the artists behind the Design
Museum Dharavi, the museum will be a reflection of both the tradition and
creativity in Dharavi.
Comments
Post a Comment