Bhubaneswar, Feb. 23: Innovation has turned old newspapers into colourful masks of mythological characters.
A group of four artists - Birendra Pani, Pinaki Mohanty, Bhikari Pradhan and Sudip Barik - has used around 25kg of paper waste to make masks representing the 10 avatars of Vishnu and the Panchamukhi Hanuman.
Young entrepreneur Narasingha Panigrahi has brought the artists together to use the medium and make mythology interesting to the younger generation. He has provided the materials to the artists to create the masks.
Their works are on display at the office of the SGR, Panigrahi's social enterprise that works in the field of recycling waste management and green energy.
Panigrahi also runs a website, recyclepaper.in, that provides paper waste pick-up solutions to people.
"We worked for over one month to create the masks. This will not only make people aware about Indian mythology, but will also inform them about ways to use paper waste properly," said Birendra Pani, an artist based in New Delhi and leader of the group.
A number of students from various art colleges and educational institutions have been invited to visit the exhibition and work with the artists.
"We are creating more such mythological characters both from the Ramayan and the Mahabharat," said Pinaki Mohanty, another member of the group.
In another development, a group of students from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has used recycled packing materials to develop products for children.
The students have made utility goods with discarded boxes that are used to pack airconditioning machines. Their creation includes shoe racks and multipurpose storage units.
"Students at orphanages are forced to share room. They need their personal space to keep their belongings safely. The storage units would come handy for them," said Shubhangi Raj, a student.
Besides, every week during Raahgiri, a group of young volunteers from city-based organisation Bakul Foundation conduct workshops where visitors create art out of waste.
