NDMC to turn Lutyens' Delhi into open-air museum with sculpture trail, art park, symposiums

The first phase of installations is expected to begin within three months, with completion slated for later this year.

Soon, taking a stroll through the tree-lined avenues of Lutyens’ Delhi may feel like walking through a living gallery. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is set to transform a swathe of the capital’s heartland—stretching from Mandi House to Kasturba Gandhi Marg—into a ‘sculpture art district’, with striking, large-scale installations created by some of India’s most acclaimed sculptors.

NDMC to turn Lutyens' Delhi into open-air museum with sculpture trail, art park, symposiums

Fifteen towering sculptures, each between 10 and 15 feet tall and cast in stone, stainless steel or bronze, will rise at selected sites along cultural landmarks such as Copernicus Marg, the National School of Drama, FICCI Auditorium and Triveni Kala Sangam. These works will be paired with ambient lighting and detailed plaques, turning everyday commutes into encounters with contemporary art.

The initiative, part of a broader push to embed art in public spaces, will also see the launch of an international sculpture symposium and a dedicated sculpture garden inside Nehru Park, NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal announced on Tuesday at a press conference.

“We want to take art beyond galleries and museums and bring it to the streets, where everyone can experience it,” Chahal said. “With the art district, the sculpture park, and the symposium, we hope to position Lutyens’ Delhi alongside globally renowned art destinations.”

A committee headed by Harsh Vardhan Sharma, former chairperson of the National Gallery of Modern Art’s advisory committee, has been formed to oversee execution. “Just as the Central Vista has been transformed under the Prime Minister’s vision, we’re extending that ethos of rejuvenation into surrounding zones,” Chahal said.

The first phase of installations is expected to begin within three months, with completion slated for later this year. So far, eight prominent artists have confirmed participation, and the NDMC is in talks with several others. Among those on board are Raghav R Kaneria, Ved Nair, Biman B Das, Rajendra Tikku, K Radhakrishnan, and Arun Pandit. The legacy works of Satish Gujral and Nagji Patel will also be represented, Chahal said.

“Alongside all this, the NDMC will host an international sculpture symposium, featuring 15 artists—10 from India and five from abroad—who will create new works in a live studio workshop in New Delhi, which will be featured in sculpture garden,” Chahal added. The garden is likely to come up inside Chanakyapuri’s Nehru park.

A ‘National Painting Symposium’, inviting 15 eminent painters from across the country will also be held in September and the resulting artworks will be showcased at various NDMC venues to enhance public spaces.

These pieces will later be displayed in the upcoming sculpture garden at Nehru Park in Chanakyapuri. A national painting symposium is also scheduled for September, with 15 celebrated painters contributing works that will eventually be displayed across NDMC venues to liven up public spaces.

To support this cultural momentum, the civic body has established an Urban Arts and Culture Forum through a council resolution this year. The forum will roll out an annual calendar of festivals, including Bhakti Naad, classical music concerts, open-air cinema, and art flea markets, with events hosted at landmark locations such as Central Park, Lodhi Art District, Talkatora Stadium and Khan Market.

Chahal said spaces in Khan Market and Nehru Park will also be earmarked for young artists to showcase and sell their work. “The Srijan Art Gallery in Nehru Park is expected to open this month, giving emerging talent a platform,” he said.