About Misaal Mumbai
“Misaal Mumbai” is an initiative by Artist and Social Worker Rouble Nagi. It started with Paint Dharavi in 2012 and now in Bandra West along with numerous sites in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. Our project in Bandra West we painted over 285 plus houses in Jaffar Baba Colony, Mount Mary, Bandra West. Rouble Nagi and her team painted these slums by including locals and residents. We have trained some of the younger volunteers from art colleges in painting workshops and ended up employing 25 students to finish the project in less than a month. The result was an explosion of rainbow hues that would be visible from far away, stretching from one dwelling to the next in a wave of unexpected energy.
It is a quick way to create visual impact. Our projects will also employ people and give them a sense of ownership over the artworks they create in their own community while improving the condition of their houses. Street art opens a window for discussion and some positive news from places. Colourful surroundings will change the lives of the local community. The main goal is to give life to the slum and keep it clean and hygienic. Everything will be bright and colourful. Misaal Mumbai is not only about painting walls we have workshops on sanitation and hygiene for residents of the slum. With Misaal Mumbai we merely want to create interventions, that hopefully ignite some other change.
In the end, we hope our Project “ MISAAL MUMBAI” will help others to set up projects of their own, be it Mumbai or anywhere else in India. Its the first slum painting initiative in India. We are currently painting more than 13 slums in Mumbai including Dhobi Ghat (Colaba) , Ambedkar Nagar (Cuffe Parade) Machhimar Nagar (Colaba) and Kamathipura just to name a few.
I believe "until the interest of an artist shifts from the personal sensation to a sense of communal service, his work cannot grow. An artists work cannot take on real greatness until it bears the burden of people”.
