VOICE
Images are every where in the city but here I am bringing two complete different expression from city street and how they are strong from each point. Birth place of this two form of expression is entirely different. The street graffiti, which is mainly started from New York and street peddlers mainly visible in the third world countries.
Graffiti was used primarily by political activists to make their statements and mark their territory, though graffiti movements such as the Cholos of Los Angeles in the 1930s and the hobo signatures on freight trains predate the New York school, it was not till the late 1960s that writing’s current identity started to form.
But in other hand street vendors are those millions of people who come to cities as economic refugees hoping to provide basic necessities for their families the term “ street vending “ brings to mind two definite activities : that of the trader who walks around the city offering goods and services provides services from a fixed point on the public thoroughfare.
This is not a recent distinction; as early as colonial times the former were called “peddlers”
If we look at point of cityscape, we can see both the form has a strong statement, form and sense of challenge to exists in the city. For me it ‘s another voice of a city and also a strong form of a visual art and integrated part of urbanization. Which is most significant in all world phenomena of our times . The city has today become an engine of growth. Every body wants to live in city but city is not extending at the same time it has to accommodate everybody within it.
The vendor provides a wide array of goods and commodities to urban populace at reasonable prices and convenient locations with extreme skill and sense of design, where graffiti artists express their political and social statements on the street walls , abandoned cars, buildings etc. both the cases need tremendous skill , knowledge of form, sense of display , choice of color etc, which also integral part of visual art but here it’s coming straight away in the street with different cause not to just sit under a shadow of establishments. My images are not just a juxtaposition of collage but more looking into the similar voices from different people in various form and varied economy. Considering both form as an art Questioning and redefining to put it together in front of audiences, perhaps this is one of the enduring visuals of the city culture to reanalyze .
Samit Das
New delhi
August 2005
