Street Art - The Voice of Mumbai's Urbanity

“Art imitates life.” 

Art is a mirror showing the beautiful and grotesque face of our world. Through time, all forms of art have been windows into social structures, lifestyles, and beliefs of civilizations.

Transformative art has evolved over centuries as the voice of people of their times, inspiring change from a shift in social norms to war revolutions. 

["Humanity" at Sassoon Docks. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement, The Hindu]

A tedious train ride in the mornings, the stationary traffic in the evenings, in the gray monotonous life of Mumbai, some days my eyes find the gorgeous colors on mossy walls and railway bridges, across old complexes and abandoned warehouses. The Street Art of Mumbai - present everywhere, unnoticed yet leaving its mark.  From the cultural abundance of the city we inhabit to the push for human rights and protest against climate change, from promoting harmony to lauding the unsung heroes, street art does more than beautify the concrete forest we call home. 

These street artists, earlier termed as “outlaws” and now renowned for their work, serve as the voice of those whispered concerns and silent songs that show humanity its problems while serving as a ray of hope through murals and graffiti. The artistic makeover of Dharavi slums and the Sassoon Docks, Kala Ghoda, warehouses of Parel, railway stations, highways and old buildings of Mahim among other prominent spots in Mumbai, lead to features at Art Festivals that have further highlighted the impact of street art on modern society.

This unique art form often beautifies the city while leaving their iconic messages, a tribute to the “city of dreams” highlighting the diversity of Mumbai. The artists behind these works deserve much credit. Popular street artists of Mumbai are usually associated with studios making Street Artistry a growing industry of Mumbai. The art is not only limited to large-scale productions but also the stalls of painters and sketching artists lined outside Jehangir Art Gallery in the Kala Ghoda Art District on a good day. Have you ever seen young artists on streets and railway bridges, outside schools and parks paint their hearts away? Our art represents our people - the hustle of wage workers to murals of stars for the dreamers, from superheroes to world issues, we grow and learn as we observe the truth. Artists at fairs drawing portraits aspiring to make it big or someone in a train with a notebook and pencil, honing their skills. These are the humans who dream and who show us what our world is like. Capturing this imagery - the true heart and soul of this city is a unique homage to the heritage of Mumbai’s creative spirit. 

So, the next time you’re on a tour to Colaba, on a drive across the Sealink or even in a rush to catch a train, look around you and smile my dear because beauty still thrives in Mumbai. All it takes is a wall, brushstrokes and a vision to witness that “Life imitates art.”

[Street Art of Mumbai and Navi-Mumbai. Photo Credit: Harshul Narvekar] 

- Maisha Kotyan,
Sub-Head, Editorial Committee 2024-25