Murals give aesthetic touch to Surakarta's Manahan overpass

Fri, August 23, 2019 / 10:14 am

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Wayang character Pandawa is painted on the east side of the Manahan overpass in Surakarta, Central Java. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi
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A mural that illustrates a Baratayuda fragment can be seen on the west part of the overpass. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi
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Murals on the overpass also display children characters. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi
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The iconic tunnel of the Manahan overpass. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi
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Hanoman, a heroic character from the Ramayana epic, greets visitors. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi
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One of the murals on the Manahan overpass displays the National Sports Week (PON) torch light. The first PON was held in Surakarta in September 1948. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi
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Mural on the south part of the Manahan overpass displays a child character. JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi

Ganug Nugroho Adi

The 2,500-meter-long Manahan overpass in Surakarta, Central Java, has begun to look livelier in recent days as four sides of it are now decorated with murals.

The murals have become an attraction for nearby residents, making it a popular photo spot.

Initiated by artist Irul Hidayat, the Manahan overpass’ murals feature wayang (shadow puppet) stories and characters, as well as children and sports themes.

Presenting both soft and bright colors, the murals brighten up the overpass without distracting the drivers using it.

Irul said that the murals were created by a dozen local artists in November and December 2018, in the hope of giving an artistic touch to the area.

“Hopefully people will be amused while passing on the overpass, for at least there’s something they can see,” he said, adding that the overpass could also serve as a public space for recreational activities.

In November last year, a number of artists painted murals along Jl. Gatot Subroto, known as a business center during daytime and a place for youth to hang out at night. (jes/wng)