Nek Chand Saini
Self-taught artist who built an 25-acre recycled sculpture garden
Road inspector Nek Chand Saini (1924–2015) secretly created The Rock Garden of Chandigarh – a 40,000㎡ fantasyland constructed from urban waste, defying India's strict urban planning codes. Beginning in 1957, he spent nights transforming construction debris into:
- 500+ humanoid sculptures
- Interlocking mosaic courtyards
- Waterfall systems from broken pipes
Authorities discovered the illegal art sanctuary in 1973. Facing demolition threats, public support led to its official 1976 inauguration. Chand's outsider art movement inspired:
| ♻️ Global recycled art initiatives | 🏛️ Folk art museums |
His 1996 documentary The Kingdom of Nek Chand and 2014 Google Doodle tribute cemented his legacy as environmental art pioneer. The site now attracts 5,000+ daily visitors, demonstrating how individual creativity can transform urban spaces.
Literary Appearances
Cinematic Appearances
No cinematic records found