There is a new addition to the list of cool things to do in the city. Here’s our report card for a space that’s splashed with bright boundary-free art
We posed for a picture while trying out the activities
At 11 am on a Saturday, we walk past the imposing gate of Ghatkopar Industrial Estate, unsure if we are at the right address. We mention the word “neon”, and the security guard immediately knows what we’re looking for. At the time, it had been only four days since House of Neon had opened to the public. After facing some difficulty to locate the space, we walked up the crooked stairs to reach the second floor in a building. The strong odour of paint leads us to our destination. Two young adults warmly greet us at the door. We ask them if they work here. “We are the founders,” 19-year-old Fenny Shethia informs us. House of Neon is a space that opened on May 16 for artists and amateurs alike. Participants can go wild with neon paints while indulging in more than seven art-related activities, or just splash paint on family and friends.
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Being the first participant on a Saturday, we imagined we would get some time to chat with the duo. But within five minutes, people — across age groups — start trickling in. The most excited was a 10-year-old who was accompanied by his mother and aunt to celebrate his “after birthday”. They are followed by a couple in their early twenties.
A girl splashes paint on her friend. Pics/Devanshi Doshi
“We have had a group of grandparents visit here, too,” reveals Dhyan Shah, the 22-year-old co-founder as he hands us our gear that includes top-to-bottom double-layered protection raincoats, five bottles of neon paint and a canvas board. It’s a whole new world, the moment we’re inside the zone. Ultraviolet lights make the layers of neon splashes and doodles on the all-black interiors glow iridescently.
After wearing the last part of the gear — a waist belt with pouches for your paint bottles — we are ready to declare war on everyone inside. Following an exhausting session of splashing paint on our enemies, we march up to the loft pushed to the side of the room. There, we declare a truce to unleash our creative side. Activities like spin wheel canvas painting, darting paint-filled balloons on canvases, making 3-D drawings using iTouch 3D pens and painting on tracing paper keep us busy for the next half hour.
The 10-year-old boy mistakenly drops a canvas stand and a lot of paint on the floor. He looks at his mother in the fear of being admonished. His mother, however, laughs and goes about her tasks. “This is the only place you’re allowed to be messy. In fact, they insist on it,” we tell him. As if on cue, he presses his hand on the spilled paint and leaves an imprint on the nearest wall. The walls are filled with random names, motivating quotes, song lyrics and bold love confessions. Following suit, we spilled yellow paint to write mid-day with a brush on a wall. Running out time and our empty paint bottles were factors that made us call it quits. Surprisingly, it was easy to wipe off some of the paint that sneaked in despite the full-body coverage. Shah confirms that the paint is both skin-friendly and environment-friendly.
It is no surprise that a space created to celebrate imperfections has been conceptualised by GenZers. As a GenZer herself, this writer can vouch that this place totally slaps.
Pro tip: Use your paints sparingly.
At: House of Neon, C/143, Ghatkopar Industrial Estate, Ghatkopar West
Time: 11 am to 9 pm
Log on to: @thehouseofneonn
Call: 9167324686
Cost: Rs 1,000 onwards for one hour-long sessions
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