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‘Love Hyderabad’, a typographical design installation on Tank Bund Road on the picturesque Hussain Sagar Lake, is the city’s latest tourist draw.
Put in place by Asian Paints, St+art India Foundation and Art@Telangana, Krishnakriti Foundation, the installation is said to be a tribute to the 425-year-old city. It was designed by artist Hitesh Malaviya (Rocky) in collaboration with Hanif Kureshi.
Love Hyderabad incorporates a red-coloured ‘heart’ sitting with poise on a white base that reads ‘Hyderabad’. It is designed to cut across all demographic and language barriers.
The idea is to incorporate the love symbol (heart) into the Devanagari script rather than the Latin script. This adds a multilingual, fun aspect which imbibes elements from the Hinglish speaking generation and popular culture, explained the organisation behind the venture.
The icon is seen as symbolic of the city itself, which, according to one legend, represents the great love story of a prince and an ordinary woman — that of Prince Quli Qutub Shah and Bhagmati, a noted dancer. She is said to have danced at Taramati Baradari, which now houses an art camp and restaurant, while the prince watched from the ramparts of the nearby Golconda Fort.
Contemporary identityAccording to Telangana Minister for IT and Urban Development KT Rama Rao, the icon will lend itself easily to the tourist selfie culture.
Giulia Ambrogi, co-founder and curator of St+art India Foundation, said the focus was to give a contemporary identity to the city and try and instil a sense of belonging amongst its denizens.
“With art we can move people and lift their moods, spirits and lives,” said Amit Syngle, President (Sales, Marketing & Tech), Asian Paints. “For this very reason, we are working to bringing art closer to public and trying to make it a part of their daily lives.”
BV Papa Rao, trustee of Art@Telangana, said: “Urban spaces in India need improvements in public aesthetics.
“I am glad that the first international Street Art Festival is a big success. Installation of this sculpture will lay the foundation for a public aesthetic movement for Hyderabad. ”
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