A stretch along the Eco Park boundary wall, parallel to the Major Arterial Road, is coming alive with artistic activity every afternoon. A streetside art gallery has started operating outside gate 1 ticket counter from 4pm to 7.30pm.

“We want to create an atmosphere like on the Seine river bank in Paris where artistes paint and sell their work. That way affordable art can be promoted and we hope common people will get interested,” said Debashis Sen, chairman cum managing director of Hidco, who inaugurated Art Street on February 16, which happened to be Saraswati puja.

Hidco chairman Debashis Sen with a painting gifted to him at the inauguration of Art Street on February 16. Gautam Bhadra

Hidco has entered into a one-year contract with On Canvaz, a platform for art and artistes which is run by a Sector V-based creative agency. “So many artistes pass out of art college every year but fade away for lack of opportunities. We want to create a studio with a bunch of artistes on our payroll,” said Ashis Pal, an artist cum entrepreneur.

There are about 300 paintings on display on Art Street, which are taken off the wall every evening when Eco Park closes. There will be live art too with artistes painting on the spot. Passersby can stop to get their portraits created as well.

An artiste completes painting at Art Street

The 30m stretch is designated as “art street” in the masterplan of Eco Park. The park authorities had held a day-long art display and workshop in 2014 but the momentum could not be sustained.

Pal is confident of building up visitor interest. “We will get artistes to hold free workshops for children now and then.”

He has built up a stock of over 3,000 paintings which he will put on display rotationally. “People may get bored with the same painting hanging in their drawing room year after year. We are ready to rent paintings which we will change every month or so,” he offers.