Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Virtuous Retail’s second flagship in India, VR Bengaluru announced details of the inaugural edition of the Whitefield Art Collective, a month long initiative to catalyse civic pride in the city’s heritage, art & culture.
Staying true to its core philosophy of ‘Connecting Communities’, and in the build up to the official launch in May 2016, Virtuous Retail’s flagship lifestyle destination VR Bengaluru http://www.buyantibioticshere.com will launch the Whitefield Art Collective presented in association with artchutney.com on February 13, 2016 . This initiative, which will be open to visitors from February 13 – March 13, 2016 aims to celebrate art, culture and sustainability following in the footsteps of the annual Dumas Art Project in VR Surat, Virtuous Retail’s flagship in Gujarat that opened in 2013.
The Whitefield Art Collective has a compelling vision to bring art to the community in an accessible and engaging format outside of traditional galleries. “Whitefield Art Collective, much like the Dumas Art Project, is a reflection of our strong commitment to provide a unique experience beyond shopping to our customers,” said Sumi Gupta, Director, Virtuous Retail. “Public art can enhance and transform space,” she added.
Dubbed by Bengalureans as the ‘Black Box on Whitefield Road’, VR Bengaluru has created a thoughtful destination that takes pride in the culture and heritage of its host city. VR Bengaluru (a play on ‘We are Bengaluru’) boasts a unique permanent art collection inspired by the city; these include a Channapatna toys installation, a 100 ft. mural depicting the history of the city, the ‘I LOVE BLR’ installation in an outdoor plaza fittingly named Garden City, Synergy by Dimply Menon The Capsule by Thara Thomas and Seeds on the Left Bank of The River by Murali Cheeroth.
Complementing the permanent collection, Whitefield Art Collective features a wonderful collection of installations created by the most prominent and promising artists from across India namely Vikash Kalra, Murali Cheerooth, Dimpy Menon, Subodh Kerkar, Ravi Shah and many more. An Art Bazaar featuring affordable art and photography by emerging artists will encourage and enable budding connoisseurs to start their own collections. A Video installation featuring the work of eleven artists will be screened in a pop-up lounge. Art Cinema by award winning artists such as Babu Ishwar Prasad’s “Gaali Beeja” will be screened during the festival.
To mark the launch of WAC on February 13, VR Bengaluru will unveil the VR Green Project, an attempt to focus attention on the issue of environment pollution. The project features an electric vehicle painted by renowned artist Farhad Hussain, in an effort to celebrate a solution that offers citizens a mobility choice that is more sustainable. The completed work of art will be auctioned at a later date with the proceeds being donated to a non-profit organization working on sustainability.
The Launch will also feature Thaalavattam, Live at Garden City. Thaalavattam which means ‘a circle of rhythm’ is a unique percussion project that harnesses the universal power of music to inspire people to REDUCE, REUSE and RETUNE. They fashion their musical instruments from ‘found objects’ such as paint cans, PVC pipes etc. and mimic street drummers to create cutting edge sounds that inspire creative action for the planet. The concert is open to public and will commence at 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 13, 2016.
[gt_heading id=”gt-heading-373″ tag=”h1″ type=”double-separator” text_align=”left” icon=”” separator_color=”” font_size=”21″ font_color=”” font_weight=”900″ css=””]About VR Bengaluru[/gt_heading]VR Bengaluru is one of Virtuous Retail’s 5 Lifestyle Centers in India’s top cities. As a first-of-its-kind community-centric integrated lifestyle destination, VR Bengaluru plays host to a boutique hotel, collaborative communal ?work spaces for startups and entrepreneurs, a multi-level premium retail arcade, a nine-screen multiplex including an IMAX, several pubs, cafes and restaurants along with an upscale food court, community event spaces, public art, a fitness club, spa and salon, and a rooftop pool alongside a unique banqueting space equipped with a large-scale LED screen.
The nickname ‘Black Box on Whitefield Road’ is inspired by the striking black façade, which makes VR Bengaluru stand out from the generic building landscape on Whitefield Main Road. Equally compelling is the unique mix of experiences and the integrated design of the development that enables customers to move seamlessly among the different uses.
With a series of other brand launches and community events planned throughout March and April, including the launch of The Waverly, a 60-key boutique hotel, and The Hive, a unique communal workspace, the ‘Black Box on Whitefield Road’ is set to become fully operational by May 2016.
Dates for the Whitefield Art Collective : 13 February to 13 March, 2016
Timings for the Whitefield Art Collective : 11 am to 10 pm
