What is name of your initiative?
Digital Fort Restoration
I love trekking and used to go on lot of treks with my friends. We observed that most of the forts were filled with plastic bottles and other waste, so we used to clean them. While doing that, I saw that most of the monuments were vanished, and used to wonder how would they look in their glory era. Hence, I made one art work and it got viral. Due to positive response from people, I decided to make more of that.
I visit the fort and take videos and photographs of monument from all angle. I visualise how that monument or building would have been. Initially I create sketch, and when I’m satisfied with the result, I color the sketch and publish it on Social Media.
What is the inspiration behind?
I’m inspired by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and golden history of Maratha empire. These monuments are witnesses of the glory of the Maratha Empire.
What was the most challenging part?
Most of the monuments are destroyed because of heavy rain, earthquakes and time. It's difficult to imagine such building due to lack of any written or drawn documents. That’s why I rely on feedback from historians and try to make these monuments as close as the real one.
How could it change the society?
I want to bring Social awareness about forts. I want to spread the message that our forts are not useless thing, it's our pride. They are not meant to do night parties. If they are developed properly, Tourism ministry con earn tax from this places.
My aim is to mostly invest time to travel all 450+ forts in Maharashtra and then make artworks while working parallelly. I've more ideas for this work, but it's only possible when I can work on this initiative for full time. Hence I’m looking for a sponsor who’ll buy my paintings and provide me funds for my work.
where can we see your art?
Behance- https://www.behance.net/gajananpatilartworks
Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/gajananpatilartworks
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/gajanan_patil_artworks/