Delhiwale: The enigma of the airport angels

Statues at the Airport Metro look like travellers headed for a journey, but paused abruptly. Notice, that they have wings too — who could they be?

Public art in Delhi sometimes finds us scratching our heads.

Steel statues at Airport Metro Station. (Mayank Austen Soofi / HT Photo)

The sculptures at the Mandi House crossing are so abstract that we just don’t get them. Equally puzzling are the steel sprouts at the AIIMS flyover crossing.

Having said this, we certainly would not want to be regarded as a philistine. So let this be noted for all posterity: We have nothing less than overwhelming admiration for those four frequent flyers (plus two children) cast in steel, at the Airport Metro station.

So hauntingly real are these renderings at Terminal 3 that the admiring public often pauses to snap photos.

And no wonder. Kolkata artist Debanjan Roy has spared no effort to make his travellers appear lifelike, right down to the shoulder bag and juice sipper. They look like ordinary folks scurrying towards the departure lounge.

But then they suddenly stop for some reason.

Why?

Well, there’s something in their expressions, something ineffable and yet understandable. As though we’re viewing those six innocent faces a few minutes before they unexpectedly froze mid-air.

The surrealism of the sculptures is further enhanced by a detail we had overlooked before. Each sculpture has steel wings attached to it, transforming the travellers into airport angels of sorts who will never reach their destinations.

Have a safe flight.