Chennai’s streetscapes inspire this artist’s quirky illustrations

Every time he comes across a tea kadai or a street-side vegetable seller, there’s a sketch of his next illustration being etched in his mind. Twenty-seven-year-old artist Bhavya Desai can be seen cycling across the suburbs and bylanes of Chennai, trying to capture the overlooked — tea stalls, knife sharpening carts, tiny vegetable shops, and the people running them. Through around 100 of his sketches, Bhavya captures the soul of the city, while depicting it in all its vibrancy and diversity.

“After I finished my Bachelors in Animation a few years ago, I had a strong urge to give something back to the city. I developed an interest in art through art classes at school and began sketching. I was drawn towards the domestic settings that we often take for granted — it could be an old lady selling vegetables or a man who irons clothes at his cart,” Bhavya tells us.

Through his other love, cycling, Bhavya comes across the settings on the outskirts and less-explored parts of Chennai that inspire his illustrations. “I would spend most weekends cycling and take trips up to 70km. During these journeys, I take a detour to explore the rural parts of the city. Chennai is so beautiful that its landscape changes every 5-6km. Situated away from the hustle-bustle of the city, the outskirts hold a lot of life in them. Every time I see an interesting scene on the streets, I sit down to make a quick sketch of the elements and take a day or two to finish the illustration,” he elaborates. The artist, who has been illustrating professionally for the past six years, says he is also particularly fond of Mylapore for its liveliness and has dedicated a series of sketches to the locality.

Bhavya’s sketches are almost Mario Miranda-esque (the late celebrated cartoonist who was based in Goa), in the way they include tremendous amount of detailing. In one of his sketches that depicts dozens of people on the beach, the detailing of even the anklet of a woman seated on the shore is on point. “During one of my early sketches, I was drawing a scene from the 29C bus, trying to fit in as many people as I could in the frame. It was pointed out to me that my works resemble that of Mario Miranda’s, which was when I started connecting with his works,” he adds.

Every year, the artist prefers to step out of Chennai for two months, so he could see the city through a new perspective. “Anything I draw has to signify the city. Looking at Chennai while being away from it has helped me,” adds Bhavya, who also illustrates children’s books.

The artist, however, feels that there aren’t any spaces for artists to collaborate or support each other in the city. “Many artists feel lost but there are no avenues for them to come together. I hope there will be, in the days to come. But I’m soon planning to take a field trip with a few artists to work on location sketches along with others,” he adds.