Mangaluru: Discarded bottles turn canvas for artist

In a bid to spread the message of cleanliness as well as encourage creativity, artist Megha Mendon organised a five-day art camp for students on discarded bottles, after which an exhibition was put up here on Monday.

Over 200 recrafted bottles were displayed at the exhibition and as many as 28 students and housewives participated in the camp.

Mendon, an architecture student said: "We went to Tannirbhavi Beach to collect discarded bottles after which we cleaned them. We later painted the bottles and put LED lights in it. As many as 28 students and housewives participated in the camp."

The artist says in her efforts to keep the beaches clean, she collected bottles lying on the seaside and used these discarded bottles to create art out of them. She later taught several students her art.

"I used to see thrashed bottles littered by the beach when I used to go out with my friends. I used to collect them and wanted to use them as a canvass to draw.

Back then I did not know what kind of paints I could use and hence I just used to draw. I later went on to teach my art to others" Mendon said.

Further talking about the drive to keep the beaches clean Mendon said: "Our main intention is to make people understand that they should not litter the beach.

I request everyone to not throw glass pieces by the beach side as it can hurt anyone, even the animals."

Vaishnavi, a student at the camp said: "I have learnt a lot of things by during this exhibition. I learnt how to paint the bottles, give then lights. We also learnt how to decorate the bottles with tissue papers and jute."

The bottles displaying creative artwork showcased that waste can be utilized in a better way while enforcing the drive to keep the beaches clean.