Studies estimate there are now 150 million metric tons of plastics in the world's oceans, adversely affecting our marine ecosystem. Plastic-dumping is choking our oceans and governments across nations have begun to take measures to curb the growing menace of plastic pollution.

 

Engaging with this rapidly growing problem, street artist Daku’s installation ‘Why’ at the Hussain Sagar Lake is a colossal Question Mark (‘?’) created by using 3,00,000 recycled plastic bottles. The installation also produces its own energy through solar-power. Conceptualized by Daku and produced by St+art India and supported by Asian Paints in association with Showboat Production, Hyderabad, this project is commissioned by Government of Telangana and India Design Forum. The installation will be placed on the surface of the lake for a period of one month.

 

Stressing on the importance of art to create wide-scale impact, Ms. Giulia Ambrogi, Co-founder and Curator, St+art India Foundation, said, “Since 2016, when we started our work in Hyderabad, specifically in Maqtha, we have looked at the Hussain Sagar lake as a location brimming with meanings. Daku's idea started taking shape back then and is now relevant more than ever. Public art plays a fundamental role in spreading socially relevant messages in a strong, direct and understandable manner and urban art interventions like this installation are crucial to create awareness and start building sensitivity for a more sustainable future. We are immensely glad that the dream of creating such a powerful installation has come through on the occasion of the Hyderabad Design Week, thanks to the support of the government and other partners.”

 

Daku’s works are recognized for establishing site-specific dialogues with the spaces he works within. Executed in the form of public art interventions, they engage with contemporary and complex topics, affecting their spectators with simple yet incisive commentaries.

 

In the same spirit, Daku’s Question Mark aims to raise questions within the viewers - what can citizens do? What can governments and corporations do? Where do we go from here? What is the alternative? These questions are posed to citizens, tourists, civic bodies and corporations alike, in the hope of a solution. It provokes us to take note of the growing number of problems associated with single use plastics and encourages onlookers to self-reflect and start looking for alternatives.

 

Artist Daku had this to say about the installation, “As an artist, this is my contribution towards changing perceptions about the use of plastic, which is one of the biggest questions today. I hope this installation will help raise more questions in people's mind. This is my take on plastic against plastic.”

 

Exploring the use of public space as a tool for social messaging and impact, the installation seeks to initiate conversation around a rapidly escalating global problem. Through its scale and magnitude, along with the prominence of its location, it is sure to catch the attention of the city and bring to light a prevailing issue of our times. Making use of solar-powered lights, the ‘?’ will be lit through the night, making it accessible throughout the day.

 

Acknowledging the efforts made in lieu of the installation, Sri KT Rama Rao, Minister of MA&UA, Industries and IT&C in Telangana, tweeted, “As a part of #HyderabadDesignWeek, @streetartindia artist @daku156 has constructed an installation in the shape of a question mark with 3 lakhs upcycled plastic bottles questioning the use of single use plastic in the current ecological climate. My compliments to the ST+ART team.”

 

Special thanks to fundamental partners such as Asian Paints who have been constantly with St+art all across the country to create socially relevant public art projects. To Art@Telangana and Krishnakriti Foundation who have been key partners and collaborators across the years within all the projects curated by St+art India Foundation in Hyderabad. To Banyan Nation for the kind support in sourcing 3 Lakhs recycled plastic bottles.