Kowshigha aims to beautify Chennai, one mural at a time

CHENNAI: Mural artist Kowshigha Rajendran has been getting a lot of projects to beautify the city after her impressive work at Kathipara Urban Square. The in-demand mural artist talks to DT Next about her art journey, the thriving mural art scene in Chennai, and how pregnancy hasn’t hindered her ongoing projects.

“After completing my studies, I worked on illustrations for a publication, focusing on medical illustrations. My transition to mural art began with an opportunity to create a mural in Choolaimedu. That project helped me get a lot of new work. I have done a few art projects in collaboration with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC),” she recalls.

Her portfolio includes works at prominent locations like Kathipara Urban Square, cafes, schools, corporate offices, IIT Madras Research Park, and Medai theatre space, along with murals at all city outlets of Chai Kings. Kowshigha mentions that the recognition her work gained, especially the Kathipara Flyover murals, garnered a lot of attention on social media. “People started talking about the work – this inspired me to move ahead and try new things.”

Reflecting on her journey from a science illustrator to a mural artist, Kowshigha describes the progression as organic. “Chennai has an active mural art scene. Many city-based artists are creating interesting works across Chennai, each with his/her own style. Luckily, we have an audience for each style. This dynamic landscape has encouraged me to rediscover and reinvent new aspects of the mural art space. Recently, we ventured into sculpting on walls, using different mediums,” says Kowshigha.

Over the past five years, Chennai has witnessed a surge in mural art, featuring various themes conveying social messages and cultural heritage.

“Instead of painting the walls with politicians’ pictures, we can see beautiful artwork on walls that speaks about our culture and heritage. Also, you can see that the artists are bringing out certain vibrant colours that nobody has explored much. For example, turquoise colour wasn’t used hugely. Now, artists have started playing around with those hidden colours,” says the artist.

Despite being heavily pregnant, Kowshigha credits her husband’s support, enabling her to continue working. “I consult with my doctor and continue with my work. There is no need to take a break if you plan accordingly; you can manage things easily,” concludes the artist, who contributes to the city’s vibrant visual landscape.