Adding colour to Chennai, one wall at a time!

From flyover pillars and compound walls to public parks and school campuses, murals have become an increasingly familiar sight across Chennai. Behind these colourful landmarks is a close-knit community of artists, architects, designers and volunteers who see public art as more than decoration.

For them, it is a way to celebrate neighbourhood identities, reclaim shared spaces and bring communities together. Designing with the locality as focus “Every mural begins with understanding the space and the people who interact with it daily,” says Aparna Reddy of Chennai Art Collective. “Public art has the power to transform neglected spaces into landmarks that strengthen a community’s identity,” she says. Art enthusiast Dr Vishnu Aravind believes murals occupy a unique place in the city’s cultural landscape.

“Unlike other art forms, which are performative, murals are public property.

Every citizen can claim them as their own. As people become more conscious of how the city looks and is cared for, mural art has become increasingly important,” he states. Challenges beyond the canvas While public appreciation has grown, mural artists say the work extends far beyond painting walls. Securing permissions, coordinating with local communities and ensuring long-term maintenance remain some of the biggest challenges.

“Chennai is steadily emerging as one of India’s most exciting mural destinations because people here genuinely appreciate art in public spaces,” says senior mural artist Nidarshana. A growing, more inclusive community The mural movement has also become increasingly collaborative, with artists working alongside volunteers, students and local residents. Dr Nisha Devi, founder of Five Feet Collective, says encouraging more women to occupy public spaces through art was one of the group’s founding ideas. “When we started, there weren’t many women painting on Chennai’s streets. We wanted to create artworks that became landmarks while also creating a collective of women occupying public space through thoughtful, design-led visual language.

Murals bring life and colour into the concrete jungle.”