Watch: Short Film On Street Art In Khirkee Village
7 February 2013
Khirkee Extension is an urban village set bang in the middle of South Delhi, nestled between high-rise malls and 5-star hotels. A place that clearly represents the socio-economic disparity of New Delhi, it is mostly inhabited by low-income labourers, middle class students and migrant populations.
In recent years however, it has been an active part of the art community. Several upcoming artists have chosen to live within its narrow lanes due to its low rents and close proximity to South Delhi suburbs such as Hauz Khas Village.
"While the village itself has days without water and electricity, just across the road from it, people are spending more money in a day than which some of the inhabitants make in a month. This stark contrast is quite symbolic of how ‘globalisation’ has built our cities. Where the poor are often brushed under the carpet to give us this utopian version of India shining" - Akshat Nauriyal (Now Delhi)
Extension Khirkee is a community-art project aimed at addressing exactly these issues.
The idea is simple. Art is for everyone - an ongoing engagement between art and residents within the neighbourhood of Khirkee Extension. Since its launch last year it has brought together creative practitioners from diverse backgrounds of visual art, architecture, media (through spaces such as Khoj) and even hip-hop (though crews such as Tiny Drops) to the small neighbourhood.
Our good friends at Now Delhi have recently uploaded a video covering street art in Khirkee. A fascinating short film, it covers many of the now iconic pieces as work-in-progress, as well as how they have now become part of day-to-day life in Khirki.