CHENNAI: The sprawling façade of Indira Nagar MRTS (Mass Rapid Transport System) station is set to get a facelift, literally. The bland looking edifice will now feature portraits of people including PLHIV (People Living with HIV) as part of an inclusivity campaign by the state government. The project is a collaboration of Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society (TANSACS), Southern Railway, Tidel Park and NGO St+Art India.
“The idea was to create an urban art that also serves as an awareness on AIDS and was commissioned as part of our World AIDS Day campaign. The theme to have portraits of people with and without HIV alongside is part of the HIV campaign around the world for global solidarity and shared responsibility,” an official with TANSACS said.
Artists, who were involved in the recent transformation of Kannagi Nagar slum clearance board tenements into an art district, are part of the project. The station’s whole façade of about 55,000sqft will be their canvas.
TANSACS has already initiated a social media campaign to create awareness about AIDS and the necessity for PLHIV to be treated without discrimination. Awareness messages, helpline numbers and other misinformation about AIDS and HIV infection are addressed regularly by the society’s social media mascot ‘Punch Paati’ through their Twitter page.
According to a statement made by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami ahead of World AIDS day (December 1), the government has brought down HIV prevalance in the state to 0.18 % and with continued efforts, TANSACS aims to make the prevalence zero.
Chennai-based artist A-Kill and Khatra have begun working on the project, which is expected to be completed by the second week of January.