An Artist Reveals His Most Ignored Painting, and It’s Not in a Gallery

In its latest campaign, Volvo Cars India collaborated with internationally renowned artist Dr. Subodh Kerkar for a social experiment with an important life-saving twist. 

The video of the campaign, shared by Volvo Cars India on Instagram, has already garnered over 6 million views and is being shared by several influencers. 

The campaign started with a teaser reel from the artist about how his latest creation is being surprisingly ignored, leaving everyone intrigued. It stirred questions from followers and the press, who found it hard to believe, coming from a much-sought-after artist. The teaser nudged everyone to find out about his 'Most Ignored Painting' at a special event.

At the event, in the presence of art enthusiasts, media personnel, the deputy commissioner of traffic and key stakeholders passionate about road safety, Subodh Kerkar unveiled a video of the social experiment that gave viewers the first glimpse of his most ignored painting – A hand-painted zebra crossing at a busy traffic intersection, with his signature on it! Over the next few days, the experiment captured how this life-saving 'work of art' was being completely disregarded by vehicles running over it, rarely stopping for pedestrians. 

He turned the road into his canvas to bring out the importance of this 'painting' we all see on the roads every day. Ironically, art on the walls of a gallery gets all the attention, but these life-saving pieces of art go largely overlooked and ignored. Dr. Kerkar announced that his art and Volvo's commitment to safety, could together bring out the importance of respecting and paying attention to zebra crossings for pedestrian safety, an often-ignored subject in India. 

Volvo Car India's MD, Jyoti Malhotra, emphasized the deeper purpose behind this initiative:

"At Volvo, safety has always been at the core of our values. It's not just about building cars; it's about building a culture of care and responsibility. Through this collaboration with Subodh Kerkar, we hope to make people pause, reflect, and take action to prioritize road safety."

This initiative by Volvo Cars India serves as a stark reminder of the growing need for awareness and accountability on the roads. The zebra crossing, a simple yet vital tool for road safety, is neglected daily, contributing to alarming accident rates. Through this collaboration, Volvo and Kerkar have sparked awareness and initiated a movement to ensure that the zebra crossing, the most ignored painting in India, is not ignored anymore.