Design
Bangalore Street Art Aimed at Curbing the Men Who Pee There
The 'Pee Project' is part of a tide of new public art that takes the city as its canvas and its inspiration.
BANGALORE, India — On Saturday night, I flag an auto-rickshaw home. Midway through the ride, the driver pulls over and leaps out unannounced. After a brief exchange of broken English and sign language, his intent becomes clear. He walks a few feet away and relieves himself on the sidewalk.
"It’s an absurdly common sight on the streets," says Ria Rajan, a local artist. She once rented some studio space near the hockey stadium downtown. It stood across from a swanky apartment complex — one that doubled as a preferred relieving spot. "Everybody just peed on the compound wall," she says. "So that corner used to stink. All of us had walked past that corner practically every day."