Twelve individual paintings that reimagine Chennai by capturing the soul and essence of the city in a futuristic setting are part of the wall art project at Durgabhai Deshmukh Road in Adyar in Chennai. The city’s lively art scene has seen an uplift with the ‘Icons of Singara Chennai’ project. Aimed at honouring the rich legacy of the southern metro, the project was undertaken by India’s first fully curated NFT marketplace Jupiter Meta, intending to make owning art an accessible endeavour.
As part of its drive to focus on creative collaboration that emphasises human connection as much as technology, Jupiter Meta has also announced plans to take the initiative across India, exposing art and creators to a wider audience.
“The project is our ode of appreciation to a city that means so much to so many. It is an acknowledgement of the familiar warmth, sights, and scents we’ve all come to value and love. While we shape our Web 3.0 plans, we stand behind the tangible quality of physical art and believe it can co-exist with digital assets,” shared Manasa Rajan, CEO of Jupiter Meta.
The physical artworks follow the introduction of their digital counterparts. Minted as NFTs, the digital assets are available for purchase on the Jupiter Meta marketplace, allowing buyers a sense of association and generating value creation in terms of artist exposure and ownership. The NFTs have been a hit, with many people looking to own a piece of ‘namma’ Chennai. Collectors have been buying the NFTs for the memories they evoke and the nostalgic value — Chennai Central and Marina beach proving especially popular among enthusiasts. Each individual art piece on the wall is appended with a QR code that takes one to the digital version of the art on the marketplace.
The art was conceptualised by Karthik SS of Chennai-based 108 Collective, styled by Aditya Chavan and his team, and realised with the assistance of Hermon Arts—a group of signboard artists. “The project is symbolic of the emotional relationship people have with Chennai. Bringing to life that connection through our traditional art style was hugely satisfying, and I believe this initiative will be immortalised in Chennai’s folklore,” said Sanjeevi Nathan of Hermon.
Jupiter Meta’s vision is to bring the artist and fan closer by fostering conversations, encouraging inspired ideas, and provoking cultural interest. The Icons of Singara Chennai project epitomises these concepts and is the first of many such projects the brand has planned.
