.FROM EDITOR'S DESKWe feel pleasure to publish the XI-XIIth

issue of Art Echo (an organ of Shilpangan)since the dawn of publication of magazine(i.e. from Fifth issue). We have been servingthe aesthetic world of this area with vision.

It is our desire to develop the skilland talent of the tender boys and girls and.We have been thriving for it withdetermination as we have belief in PabloPicassos Words that Every child is anArtist.

This issue is dedicated to the memoryof the great artist Mukunda Debnath. Welost him one year back. No praise is sufficientfor him. He has become a legendary figureof this valley by dint of his aesthetic work inhis life time.

We bow our head in his memory.

Like other issues, we have pulisheddifferent writings here also which will begiven benefit to the student and art lovers.

We always welcome the valuedsuggestions/constructive criticism of ourpatrons and well wishers.

Let peace prevail everywhere.

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Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 and

died on May 2, 1519. He was Italian.

He lived during the Renaissance, a cultural movement

that led to important developments in areas such as

art and science.

Leonardo d Vinci is perhaps best known as a painter,

with his legendary works including the Mona Lisa,

the Vitruvian Man and the Last Supper, among others.

Leonardo da Vinci wasn't just an incredible artist, he

was an inventor, scientist, mathematician, engineer,

writer, musician and much more.

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry

is painting that is felt rather than seen."

Leonardo da VinciCover A

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CONTRIBUTORS

SAMIT ROY is a freelance artist & writer.

MONIKA PAUL is a freelance artist & writer.

Dr. RAJ KUMAR MAZINDER is an Assistant Professor,Deptt. of Visual Arts, Assam University, Silchar.

Dr. GANESH NANDI is an Assistant Professor, Deptt.of Visual Arts, Assam University, Silchar.

ANIRBAN DHAR is a freelance artist & writer.

SWAPAN KUMAR SINGHA is a freelance artist &writer.

ARPITA PRADHAN is a Kolkata based freelance writer.

MOHOSINA KABIR BARBHUIYA is a research scholarof Deptt. of Bengali, Assam University, Silchar.

ANIRBANJYOTI GUPTA is a Silchar based freelancewriter .

ROLLIE MUKHERJEE is Desire paths publishers,Vadodara (Baroda) based Independent Artist-Critic-Poet-Research Editor.

KUMAR AJIT DUTTA is a Guwahati based art criticsand writer.

PRADIP CHAKRABORTY a Kolkata based art criticsand writer.

Kenny Schachter is a London-based art curator andwriter.

Chief AdvisorProf. Tapodhir BhattacharjeeEx-Vice Chancellor, Assam University, Silchar

AdvisorDr. Nirmal Kanti RoyDr. Meghali GoswamiDr. Rajkumar MazindarDr. Ganesh Nandi

Publisher & PrinterSandipan Dutta Purkayastha+91-9864374011, 9401236225

EditorTapojyoti Bhattacharjee+91-9435503475

Contributing EditorDhaneswar Shah (New Delhi)Anjan Sen (Kolkata)Kumar Ajit Dutta (Guwahati)Ashok Barma (Silchar)

Managing EditorSanjay De

Cover DesignPrashanta Seal

Issue DesignManas Bhattacharjee

Asstt. EditorPinak Pani Nath

Creative & ProductionMithun Paul

Marketing & AdvertisingBinay PaulJoydeep Bhattacharjee

PhotographerArup Mazumder

Silchar CorrespondentAnurupa Bhattacharjee

Art Echo Office Address :

Mahaprabhu Colony (Sri Gauranga Pally)Malugram, Silchar - 2, District - Cachar, AssamPh. No. : +91-9864374011, 9401236225, 03842-262178 (O)Fax : 03842-262125, e-mail : artechoshilpangan@gmail.com

Copyrights of the articles belong to the respective authors.All the views expressed in the writings are of the respectiveauthors. The publication does not necessarily subscribeto the views expressed by the contributors.

Printed at :

N. N. Dutta Road, Silchar - 1, Ph. +91-9401140888

%%y xyy z !y!e%! y 1xyy ! yy yz!y y 3A munificent study on printed picturesDr. Raj Kumar Mazinder 5Down to Memory Lane 8D# ! y #yv. # 11Art Trust An idea and activities with ArtArpita Pradhan 13Mount Abu through their eyes : Niv Artists-in-Residency, 2014Anirban Dhar 16A Gala Art Fair 2015Swapan Kr. Singha 18!v! xy # !y#y#y ! v)zy 19Site Pecific Art Installation at St. Xaviers CollegeRollie Mukherjee, Dr. Lancelot DCruz,Jothi F Xavier 20Art & Craft Workshop in Fine Art Academy 23Experience in an ExhibitionGangotree Dasgupta 24y% y % y !# y xy x!yy! = 27Interview with Jothi XavierRollie Mukherjee 32x ~ !e!#%y x! _ 36y# e# 40yuy 43Its snowing Art AdvisersKenny Schachter 44

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Special Issue-II | January-June, 2015

ANIRBAN DHARTitle : Attitude, Medium : Mixed Media on Paper,

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Incredible luminaries of modern art scenario in Assam:

A munificent study on printed pictures ofMukunda Debnath

Raj Kumar Mazinder

During the beginning of sixth decade of last century, three incredible luminaries or great contributors of modern art scenario in Assam departed to Santiniketan from three corners of Assam namely Guwahati, Silchar and Jorhat. As born in that moment my adorned gesture has been to those three artists chronologically Benu Misra, Mukunda Debnath and Neel Pawan Baruah. My intention is to study, revisit Mukunda Debnath, his works and endeavoured efforts in elevating remote corners of our country as Barak Valley in the field of art and culture.

The advent of print has an important influence upon the circumstance of the concept of language as well British imperial trade in Assam and India. Print has taken the role of selecting, codifying and finally making a particular variety - the standard variety in many of the world's languages, and thereby enabling the people to imagine to be the members of a particular speech community and later on to assert a common identity in a geographical space. Orunondoi, the first Assamese magazine, was an effort of the American Baptist missionaries and in the common literary and historical discourse credited with revitalizing the Assamese language. With the publication of an Assamese literary magazine Orunodoi (1846), the literary genre of fiction-writing in Assamese literature saw a fine modernist emergence. It is worth mentioning that it was in this magazine that art-illustration in wood block relief printing was introduced for the first time in the North-East.

The actual line of all around communication although with the outside, however, opened with the extension of the Rail-link. The Assam Bengal Railway covered Silchar in 1899, as the rail-line entered into Cachar near Badarpur Junction, across Sylhet and slowly extended to Lumding through North Cachar Hills. (Bhattacharjee: 1977). It is worth to mention that perhaps first alumni at Government School of Art, Calcutta from North East Lakhiram Baruah had been to Calcutta for the first time in the year 1914 through Lumding and Karimganj by train. As seeing his drawing aptitude, a British Inspector of schools granted him a monthly stipend of Rupees ten for higher study in art.

Thus during pre-Independence period, some youths from Assam studied in the Calcutta Government School of Art. Lakhiram Baruah's brilliant painted images depict on Biblical theme with adequate skill and craftsmanship during later days. Other distinguished names as Suren Bardoloi, Mukta Nath Bardoloi, Bhavesh Chandra Sanyal, Birendralal Bhowmik, Jagat Singh Kachari, Sashidhar Saikia and Jibeswar Baruah can be mentioned in this context. (Brahma: 1998) Later Tarun Duarah and Rabin Bhattacharya passed out from the same school. Significantly Bhabesh Chandra Sanyal, originally belongs to Dibrugarh, Assam, moved to study art in the School in 1923. At this time, the school was running under the supervision of Percy Brown who was himself an artist, painted in water color on the British style. The emergence of 'Modern art' in the early part of 20th century had been a complete departure from the traditional art forms like the miniature, manuscript painting, mural, traditional sculpture and crafts, that thrived for centuries and started dwindling due to political turmoil and other factors. (Kandali: 2009)

Mukta Nath Bardoloi was foremost creative artists who belongs to that generation with his several book illustrations as such in Assamese children book titled Moyna authored by Harinarayan Barua which picture pages were printed in lithography in Bharatmihir Jantra, Calcutta during 1930.

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Significantly Birendralal Bhowmik from Silchar had pursued art in Calcutta School of art in the year 1924-29, published some books for children art education as series of picture book titled Chitralekha in seven volume along with his drawings and illustrations which had been approved by D.P.I., Assam for elementary school syllabus in 1948 (Bhowmik: 1952). Another alumni of Government School of Art, Calcutta, Sashidhar Saikia experimented in print making techniques during his study period under guidance of Mukul Dey as his Untitled lithograph print done in 1930.

Since sixties of last century onwards, due to fast developing communication systems, the bridge over Brahmaputra, extension of the broad-gauge railway line to Guwahati and beyond, direct national road transport links etc. have slowly induced artists of Assam to show contemporary temperament through their works. The easy access they have to the mainstream of various art centres in the country today has accelerated the process.

However, it took several more decades in the dynamics of modern art in north east to evolve a vibrant trend in the realm of print making by the eighties of the twentieth century in the true sense of the term. Unlike other genres of art like painting or sculpture, print making requires specific infrastructural facilities to develop and sustain along with various socio-cultural and political factors. Owing to such dearth of facilities the trend of print making had to undergo hurdles to flourish till a turning point came in. In 1958 the Fourth National Exhibition of Art of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi was arranged at the newly constructed building of the Assam Emporium at Ambari, Guwahati. That was the first p r a c t i c a l e x p o s u r e t o I n d i a n Contemporary Art the people of Assam had the occasion to encounter. Sashidhar Saikia, Madan Mohan Lahkar, Sobha Brahma, Benu Misra, Mukunda Debnath and Neelpawan Baruah are some renowned names of early practitioners of impression art.

Some works of art of those artists had been published in various Assamese journals as Abahan since early parts of 20th century, as individual painted image and illustration. Madan Mohan Lahkar, Sobha Brahma (Plate 3.73) and Benu Misra explore the graphic medium to reproduce their drawings for general mass.

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Since the fifties several young boys and girls came out of Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, Government School of Art & Crafts of Calcutta, J. J. School of Art of Bombay, M.S. University of Baroda and Lucknow Art College. Mukunda Debnath, alumni of Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan from 1962 to 1966 experimented with relief printing medium in wood and linoleum. Under able guidance of Master Moshai Nandalal Bose, Ramkinker Baij and Benode Behari Mukherjee, he achieved proficiency in various medium as following ideal of Santiniketan as art near the nature. His later period art works reflected impressionistic view of calm nature and figuration with dark, sombre colour and bold use of line in his paintings and drawings, perhaps inspired from his birth place Barak valley.

According to Professor Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, eminent poet and critic, Mukunda Debnath's expertise in sculpture reproduced immediate surrounding or human figure where mental perspective plays a defining role. Perhaps returning back to Silchar Mukunda Debnath couldn't devote much time in his works due to personal, social constraint, where as his immediate senior Dharmanarayan Dasgupta from Agartala and also his contemporary Ramlal Dhar from Karimganj who accomplished national recognition with their creditable works in later days. It looks as if a dearth of individual artistic imprint in his whole bunch of his works of art. While Professor Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, also describes it as fault of you and me who perhaps neglected his artistic credibility in those tormented days.

But his involvement as path finder with educated, intellectual people from every field of whole Southern Assam undoubtedly makes it possible of an artistic movement in this part of our country as nourishing of some extremely talented artists' brigade and also germination of a full-fledged fine arts department in Assam University, Silchar since last decade of last century. After retuning back to Silchar his association with Cachar Silpi Sanstha (established in 1969) and his dream establishment as The Fine Arts Academy in 1977, he dedicated his precious time as introducing much needed art pedagogy in Barak Valley to bring out some extremely talented artist generation of present time. (Chakraborty: 2010)

Mukunda Debnath made several cover designs, illustration for various organizations in lino cut process including Satakrutu (a literary journal, published from Silchar 1973-85), Sribhumi (a journal published from Karimganj), Souvenir of Cachar Bongo-Sahitya o Sanskriti Sanmilan and many others. He also associated with numerous drama groups as preparing set decoration and dress design for various plays. Mukunda Debnath can be assumed as Bhagirath or Saviour for his creative thinking and works for the blossom of printing history of Southern Assam as well. Dr. Nirmal Kanti Roy writes truly in this juncture as, When printing was not enough developed in Barak Valley, Mukunda Debnath initiated producing logo and book cover for printing. He used his own technique of lino cut and wood cut for making logos and drawing for printing. It was a very pain staking job and most of them were done for the voluntary purpose. It's all because of his patience and interest in art he used to do that. In his early career he did lots of commercial art also. According to Mukunda Sir, a perfect artist must know all forms of visual arts. (Roy: 2014)

Mukunda Debnath's untimely demise certainly created a void in whole creative art scenario of Assam. Awful to mention that he was ignored several times for granting artist pension in spite of his prolonged illness. Mukunda Debnath is always in the hearts of the artists fraternity who always remember his creative quests and also the pedagogy he had set. As his beloved student Samit Roy asserts, it is the appropriate time to establish a permanent art gallery or museum in Silchar where Mukunda Sir's precious works of art along other eminence of Assam would be collected and displayed for our future generation. (Roy: 2010)

References & bibliography: Bhattacharjee, J, B, Cachar under British Rule in North East India, Radiant Publishers, New Delhi, 1977, p.p 158-159 Brahma, S, Celebrating the North East, Octave 2007, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, p.2-3 Kandali, M, The Death Rattle of Reason: Resonance in the art of North-East, Lalit Kala Contemporary 53, Lalt Kala Akademi, New Delhi, 2012, p.19 Bhowmik, B, 'Chitalekha', Sribhumi Publishing Company, Calcutta, 1952, p. 1 Chakraborty, S, Barak U p a t o y a k a r S i l p o c h o r s h a , Souvenir North-Eat Art Workshop & Integration, Shilpagan, Silchar, 2010, p.-11 Roy, N, K, The Legendary Artist and Mentor Mukunda Denath: the Torch Bearer of Barak Valley, ART ECHO, Vol.- IV, Issue- VII, April-June, 2014, p. 2 Roy, S, Barak Chitrasilpi Mukunda Debnath, Souvenir North-Eat Art Workshop & Integration, Shilpagan, Silchar, 2010, p.-11

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dictate'. It is another side of reality in art, but a darker side. It is Group that can break this jinx. It can help both, society and gallery, simultaneously, and initiate a 'system' in art-commerce. The consorted activities of Group can propagate the ideas and aesthetics of contemporary trends in art to the larger audience. It is hope that society becomes the critical audience, to accept or reject.

Art Trust aims to evolve a modernizing process of group: with administration sharing, structured dialoguing and exploring audience with art events. All ideas are exploratory; nothing is absolute in a structure.

Within such observations and needs, Art Trust is a small beginning. Historically, artists in Bengal has generated several Group-approaches in the past and left certain trends to note. Our members in Art Trust are artists with contemporary trends, already known in their respective areas.

A short statement on the concepts of worksby members:

Amitabh Sengupta he has spent many years with figurative works, like the series of 'Interiors' and 'Mythscape'. At subsequent stages, he shifted to non-figurative zone, with sign and symbols. Scripts form a dominant form in his present works.

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The paintings of Arpita Pradhan have the critical note about visual interpretation of popularity, 'like' sign in the social media. She has done an experiment with digital print and pen. It is an antithesis of the contemporary popular culture.

Arputharani Sengupta likes to work in an unorthodox manner, with scraps and found-objects, and gradually develops a surface. Popular forms and interpretations entered a dialectic process.

Avi Roy paintings now deal with child-fantasy or about childhood. His childhood fantasy finds form in a contemporary scenario. His unforgettable past in front of the present situation haunts him day by day. His works are acrylic on canvas.

Kalyan Mukherjee's works are also acrylic on canvas. He said 'my painting is an open diary. It is a kind of a documentation of my lifestyle. Though I am married and have a child, but this reality does not form moral constraint to explore the ideas of women.' His paintings are documentation of his male narcissism.

Nabanita Guha relates her paintings to her inner experience as a woman. From such standpoint, she views social, political aspects of life. She often applies her academic and the indigenous mode of work. She also explores popular and mythological forms in her paintings and again, there is a satire that becomes evident in her works, especially with acrylic and Kantha stitch on paper or canvas.

Shantanu Mitra is a sculptor who collaborates the mechanical sound and one of the traditional instrumental symphony in his work. Santanu said, 'It is a metaphorical representation of mechanical clapping'.

Shankar S assembles various photographs in a different way and creates photomontage. The artist takes all these photographs from different time and genre. By rearranging all these photographs in an unusual way, he tried to synthesise an innovative stylization.

Shruti Ghatak lives in America and the social experience in USA, becomes the inspiration, as transpired in various themes. She enjoys working in various mediums, like acrylic, oil and now exploring the digital process in her works.

Tarun Chandra is another sculptor of this show whose works are the allegorical representation of speedy and fast forwarding lifestyles.

TusharKanti Pradhan employs unorthodox media and shapes a visual impact with objects and light.

Yusuf have had long experience with folk artists and exploring print-making process. At present, his works are highly linear and textual in pure abstract mode.

The paintings of Arpita Pradhan have the critical note about visual interpretation of popularity, 'like' sign in the social media. She has done an experiment with digital print and pen. It is an antithesis of the contemporary popular culture.

In the present show at SCA Center, 2 8 January, participating artists have displayed their representative works, which found critical attention from the artist fraternity.

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intimacy, love of art. She enrolled in painting from Department of Visual Arts, Assam University, Silchar. Rajashree remained all through committed in her academic development at different levels. Her quest for experimenting with different mediums and method of imparting it in her works of art is to be appreciated. Apart from her brilliant career at Assam University, Silchar she had participated and also contributed in several art exhibitions, art fairs, workshops, artists-in-residency, art journals, including many art group exhibitions in major centres of art in India. She currently involved herself at 'Santiniketan Society of Visual Art & Design (SSVAD)' art centre under the guidance of Jogen Choudhury the eminent artist and mentor in the contemporary art world scenario. The other selected artist Anirban Dhar from Silchar also has a brilliant career at Department of Visual arts, Assam University, Silchar (First class First in MVA, securing Gold Medal). Along with his academic development at different levels, his knowledge of art history and method of asserting it in his applied art is to be cherished. Apart from his career at Assam University, Silchar Anirban also had participated and contributes in several art exhibitions, art fairs, workshops, artists-in-residency, art journals, including many art group exhibitions in major centres of art in India. Along with Rajashree; Anirban also currently involved himself at 'Santiniketan Society of Visual Art & Design (SSVAD)' art centre under the guidance of Jogen Choudhury. Through the one month artist- in- residency at Mount Abu, the artists worked and exchanged ideas to their best and became highly inspired by what Nature inspires them for. Each artist Rajashree Dutta Choudhury and Anirban Dhar had portrayed their mental expression of visual experience through the media of manual and digital works of art. During the early days of one month artists' residency, both Rajashree & Anirban started the initial work progress through observa t ion , visualization of each and every locations of Mount Abu to know, developed their concepts regarding the socio-cultural, religious aspects/ scenario of Mount Abu. Rajashree and Anirban individually interacted with local people, with intellectuals, documented the information regarding the Mount Abu. In this way Rajashree and Anirban gradually progressed their days in Niv Mount Abu Residency 2014.

MOUNT ABU-through 'their' eyes :Niv Artists- in- Residency, 2014

Anirban Dhar

Man is a singular creature. He has a set of gifts which make him unique among the animals: so that, unlike them, he is not a figure in the landscape he is a shaper of the landscape. In body and in mind he is the explorer of nature. The ubiquitous animal who did not find but has made his home in every continent.

Every geographical location has significant art and culture of its own. Mount Abu, a popular hill station with pleasant scenario, is equally well-known for its magnificent architectural brilliance with intricate carvings in religious atmospheric temples. In January 2014, at Mount Abu, an 'artists- in- residency' event was held under the title of 'Niv Mount Abu Residency 2014'. The event was organized by Niv Art Centre, New Delhi - an organization which is focused on facilitating the fundamental necessities for advancement of art practice particularly plastic arts and new media arts, with a national cultural vision and outlook on the varied cultural practices.

The goal of the Mount Abu Residency is to support talented emerging Visual Artists, Media Artists, Music & sound artists, Photographers at all stages of their career with a four week stay in a semi-secluded cottage on the Hills of Mount Abu. Rajashree Dutta Choudhury and Anirban Dhar from Silchar, India were the two selected artists to attend the one month (January, 2014) artists- in- residency at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Rajashree Dutta Choudhury is an energetic young talented artist coming from Silchar who entered the creative cosmos for her

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RAJASHREE DUTTA CHOUDHURYTitle : Untitled, Medium : Mixed Media on Paper,Size : 84.5x4.5 inch each, Year : 2014

Rajashree Dutta Choudhury expressed her view about her new experience at Mount Abu in artist- in- residency and said, 'It was very memorable experience for me to have a residential studio space in Mount Abu. I felt very delighted to practice art on the subject matters of Mount Abu, its socio-cultural activities; region's own colour flavor holds a significant approach into my art practice. The whole event can be treated as a significant exploration of both of our artistic career. It's a speech-less experience.'

Anirban Dhar expressed his views of his visual journey and said, 'Every geographical location has its own significance. Mount Abu is very renowned in the art world for its magnificent architectural brilliance with intricate carvings in religious atmospheric temples of Delwara. We felt very honour & pleased to have the studio space in the surroundings of such marvelous and impressive scenario. The artist-in- residency is the significant artistic journey of each of our life.'

As the time passed of artist- in- residency, both artists Rajashree & Anirban had practiced 48 paintings each. Regarding her works Rajashree Dutta Choudhury mentioned, 'In my art practices and paintings, I always try to portray my mental expression which gathered through the relationship with our surroundings. Through my paintings, I try to explore, attempt for an idiom of my own.' Anirban Dhar mentioned regarding his artworks, 'through my paintings and art practices, I try to re-observe my visual experience. I try to explore the forms, traces/ portray my inner and outer journeys through mediums and surfaces. Through my painting discourse, I have tried to express my artworks were in a geographical setting and to reveal a specific attitude.'

The impressive one month journey 'Niv Mount Abu Residency 2014' come to an end with the presentation of artists' artworks along with interactions among the artist, organizers, visitors and the region's local people those visualized & interact during the artist-in-residency. The organizers of Niv Art Centre congratulates both the artists Rajashree Dutta Choudhury and Anirban Dhar with honourium and also collected each artists artwork into their own art gallery. It is undoubtedly said that through the artistic journey of 'Niv Mount Abu Residency, 2014, the region emerged as a new arena of cultural amalgamation. The artists' works, in serenity of Nature away from hustle of busy urban life, aptly explored universality of art on a sylvan platform with a newer zeal and feature.

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Organised by- By Barak Art & Craft SocietySwapan Kr. Singha

17th Annual Art Fair 2015 organised by Barak Art & Craft Society, Silchar was inaugarated by S. N. Singh, Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board on 6th Jan.2015 at Bipinpal Savasthal. Other dignatories present in this gala event were Prof.Saurendra Bhattacharjee, Haran Dey, Dr.Manujendra Shyam, Pradip Maitra-Secretary of contemporary Art group of Kolkata, Angshu Kumar Roy, President of Receiption Committee, Dr.Rajdip Roy Secretary, Receiption Committee, Ahindra Das, President BACS, Anupam Chakraborty, a renowned Artist of Kolkata & Atanu Bhattacharjee.

There were 70 stalls representing different Art institutions of Cachar, Hailakandi, Karimganj. There were two stalls of Agartala among them, one was Agartal Govenment Art College. Major attraction of this Fair was the stall of famous Contemporary Artist group of kolkata. Small Art works of internationally famous Artists like Bikas Bhattacharjee, Prakash Karmakar, Ganesh Haloi, Pradip Maitra, Atanu Bhattacharjee etc. were exhibited.

In a press meet, Secretary of contemporary Art group, Pradip Maitra said that they were over whelmed with joy by seeing such a wonderful Art Fair in a small town like Silchar. He also mentioned that kolkata had a strong infrastructure of Art & Culture because it was the capital of British India for 200yrs. But without any infrastructure, member of Barak Art & Craft Society had done a commandable job by organising such a gala event for 17 years. Another member of contemporary Art group, Atanu Bhattacharjee asked the Art loving people to purchase Art works of the Artists to encourage the young talents. He also mentioned that contemporary Art group was established in 1962. Swapan Kr. Singha, working President of BACS said that the main objective of society was the establishment of Art gallary & Art museum in Silchar and to bring all Artists & craftman of Barak Valley in a single platform, Jiban Shil, Lecturer of Govt. Art College, Agartala praised the outstanding contribution of BACS in organising such a gala Art Fair and he asked the government of Assam to come forward and help the society in this regard.

There were talk show, Seminar, Quiz compitition and paper making workshop conducted by renowened Artist Anupam Chakraborty, Pottery Workshop conducted by Gargi Bhattacharjee, National Level gold medal competition. There were also regular cultural programmes organised by different institutions of silchar. Art Auction was also a major event in this Art Fair. Public gathering in this Fair was very encouraging. Art Fair came to an end on 11th Jan.2015.

A Gala Art Fair 2015

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ANIRBAN DHARTitle : Attitude, Medium : Mixed Media on Paper,

Size : 8.5x9 inch, Year : 2014

ITEPECIFIC ART INSTALLATIONS ATT.XAVIER'S COLLEGE,

BY Rollie Mukherjee/ Dr Lancelot D'Cruz /Jothi F Xavier

SAHAMADABAD. DEC.2014

The Tarumitra group in the St. Xavier's college conducted the Site specific Art Installation activities under the hand-print challenge project awarded by sayen organization. The basic thrust of this project was to enhance and encourage the students in a participatory engagement with Nature.

Two decades back ,St. Xavier's college took a leap forward in setting up various biodiversity niches in the campus by planting hundreds of trees and making the campus into one of the green campus in the city. But during the past few years, there has not been enough attention paid on the rich biodiversity in the campus. So by this project we attempted to re-establish these niches with a special focus on sensitizing the students of the college to field botany, conservation and protection and to find creative ways to disseminate knowledge of field botany documented in the campus to the wider student audience.

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The project got initiated on 28th Aug.2014 under guidance of Dr Lancelot D'Cruz and Jothi F Xavier. Mr Santosh who is an expert in Taxonomy (of both Flora and fauna) organized a workshop on 29th oct and guided the students to recognize and record flora and fauna and made them document them in the campus. On 8th nov. artist Rollie Mukherjee presented on Site specific Art Installation and took the students to look for different corners within the college searching the appropriate site for their activities. The Installations were planned by using ready-mades, scraps and Natural materials like stones ,pebbles ,rocks, sand, water, logs and dry leaves collected from nook and corners of the college compound . Thus Nature became the medium/ material in the construction of the installations. Students were asked to experientially engage with the nature and get connected with it physically. Our endeavour through this process of engagement with nature was to make them internalize it. All of these site specific installations are done in an open spaces to permit a constant mutation by future interventions both natural and human. School as a site calls for a more democratic viewership because it is more diverse. Students from all walks of life with varied cultural/religious and caste backgrounds are part of it. This project attempted at instilling in students connectivity with nature and undo the fixed urban conditioning and develop in them an inherent sensibility to get a close association with the rich biodiversity around. It was also to bring in a critical awareness regarding the question of development and for whose and for what sake. The intention was also to inculcate the habit and behavior of collectively responding to certain socio cultural phenomena.

Alive -Abandoned-Revived - on 4th Dec .the students gathered in the bio reserve in the Bro Lobo Green House, at st.Xavier's college, Ahmadabad. A trajectory/ route was constructed in an aesthetic pattern with the help of stones with an embedded dry foliage cover. The students were asked to collect stones littered all over the garden which they arranged to create a trail into the woods embedded with dry leaves.

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And then they were asked to walk through the lane bare footed carrying handful of dry leaves .The route commence from one corner and ended near a compose pit The main intention of this work was to facilitate an experiencing the nature with its subtlety and unpredictability in their encounter and to change our indoctrinated mind and attitude to dry leaves. The students were then asked to share their experience at the end of the performative walk on the trail. One student told it brought her childhood memories of her grandfather's farm. The other participant told loved the cracking sound of the dry leaves The group also planted an 'abandoned yet alive plant to symbolize the commitment of the Tarumitra team to revive the bio reserve. Also we conducted the web of life activity..The students themselves repaired a water tank for the water lilies and made it a functional space for the students to sit there and spend some time in nature's beauty which is extraordinary. Also made it a reserve for attracting the birds of the surrounding. They also collected the broken stones, washed them to paint and create mosaics.Facing the Botany department there is a corner under a golden bamboo grove where a Zen Garden was created utilizing the natural materials lying in the area. The Zen garden can be viewed from different vantage points and even from a close proximity. The fundamental intend was to evoke a sense of peace and as an anesthetic intervention thereby transforming the nature into a work of Art. The idea was to find a harmony within ones surrounding by redoing or reconstructing an environs which is not alien but is part of the nature yet is a human creation. It's here that the idea of constructing or re- presenting of nature called art happens in the highest and the most harmonious ways. Any educational institution which provides such a space would definitely see the way students d e v e l o p t h e i r e x t r a o r d i n a r y p o w e r s o f observing/contemplating/ imagining and creating.Since this project took nature as raw-material so it did not disturb the natural ambiance albeit the pencil tree and the colour stones used in the Zen Garden stood as a prominently aesthetic intervention. The water pond, trail and the Bio-gallery retains nature's liveliness and has a functional significance. These works have an inherent casualness contrary to the so-called high Art perfectionism. The students as they were from varied disciplines and are not into Art were in the beginning reluctant to touch the leaves/stones/pebbles/sands etc gradually as the project progressed showed greater passion and volition for involving in all activities. Also a pencil Tree in the parking area was made out of dead tree .The bright luminous colors attracted the visitors as soon as they enter the college. The crux of the idea is to remind the elders who generally have all knowledge yet owing to their modern ways of lifestyle tend to negate what they know and neglect the nature that surrounds them and play the most vital role for all the living sentient. They often get carried away by the cosmetic capitalist developments which gradually erase the complex biodiversity in front of our eyes and we remain a mute witness to the impending destruction.

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ART & CRAFT WORKSHOP INFINE ART ACADEMY AT BADARPUR

ART ECHO CORRESPONDENT

The journey of Fine Art Academy Started in the year 2004, and its branches are spread in many parts of Barak Valley. The motto of the Fine Art Academy is creative art that promotes critical and creative thinking in children through artistic Instruction. On 8th February 2015, we organized an art and craft workshop to celebrate the Annual fest of our Fine Art Academy. The invited guests were Shree Gobindho Dutta (Rly ADME), renowned Dramatist Shree Rupok Rokhit, Shree Kritish Chandra Nath (Rly School teacher), Shree Deepok Dey (ASI), freelance Artist Snadipon Bhattacharjee and others.The program started with the lightening of the ceremonial lamp. After the lightening of the lamp the program started with an Art competition where the children were divided in five groups.After the art completion, Pidilite started an art and craft workshop. Here also children were divided into four groups. The first group consisted of classes 1 and 2, their subject being Thumb Painting. The Second group consisted of classes 3 and 4 and they were taught how to make greeting cards, classes 5 to seven formed the third group and they were taught glass painting. The last group consisted of students from class 8 to degree level students and their subject was Dogra painting. In each group the students participated with great enthusiasm and learnt a lot through artistic creation. The student left the workshop with feelings of satisfaction and a refreshed mind.The main motto of the Fine Art Academy is not only to teach Children to draw and paint through pencil, paper, brush and color but also to learn creatively through artistic ideas. We tried to develop the creativity of the children to some extent through this workshop. The reason behind organizing this workshop was to bring about a change in the taste of the children and to develop their thinking process and inspire in this field. This workshop can be called as the starting of a small movement in Badarpur. With the passage of time this small town and its artists have undergone a lot of progress which can also be seen in this workshop.We have been able too show a new dawn to the little children through this kind of Art activity. The Visual Arts Department under Assam University has great role to play in embellishing arts in Barak Valley.Past aside what we wanted to achieve through The Annual program were to make children play with color, sit together and share their ideas too with other children. Art forms important part in every body's life. The intention of this workshop was also to promote art and encourage artists so that art can gain a prestigious place in the society because Art is for the sake of society, and to create an artist we first have to glorify arts.

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EXPERIENCE IN AN EXHIBITION -WHORLED EXPLORATIONS

Gangotree Dasgupta

Kochi Muziris Biennale, an international exhibition started from 12th December 2014 and would continue upto 29th March 2015. Whorled Exploration curated by JitishKallat and Bose Krishnamachari was Biennale Director. The inaugural program was started by them with flag hoisting ceremony at about 12 noon, then Percussion Performance was initiated at about 6:30 pm by Padmashri PeruvanamKuttanMarar along with 300 performers. The official inauguration was done by the Honorable Chief Minister of Kerela Sri OommenChandy.

The cultural programs were based on traditional art forms of Kerela, curated by renowned performing artist Keli Ramachandran.

Biennale is described as an event which is held after every two years, primarily adorned with art exhibitions. Muziris was an ancient seaport which is an urban center in south-western India, along the coastal Kerela. It was

devastated due to heavy flood. Muziris is used to be a mythical place recently unearthed through an excavation nearby Kochi, the famous port city of modern time. The Mayor of Kochi declared kochi as the Biennale City on 7th October, 2012 and now the recent find can change the perspective of the city.

In Biennale it is very important to share thinking with local minds. In an exhibition everybody is important filmmaker, a theater personality, etc. It is not just about art, it is not just about painting on canvas or sculpting something, it is a social responsibility altogether. In this Biennale we can see a rapid change of ideas, concepts, and a different level of art works. While seeing some of the works, some questions arose in my mind as to whether it is really an art work or not. There were different ways of representing art through performance art, video art, installation, etc. The Kochi Biennale introduced contemporary international visual theory and art experience to India and created relation among artists, curators, students and public.

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In the Artist Biennale there were 94 artists, 30 countries, 108 days and 8 venues. Venues were Aspinwall House, Cabral Yare, Pepper House, Vasco Da Gama Sqare, David Hall, Kashi Art Gallery, CSI Bungalow and Durbar Hall.

Participating Artists were Adrian Paci, Aji VN, Akbar Padmse, Andrew AnandaVoogel, Anish Kapoor, Annie Lai kuen Wan, Aram Saroyan, Arun KS, BenithaPerciyal, Bharti kher, Bijoy Jain, BijuJoze, Charles and Ray Eames, Chen Chieh-jen, Christian Waldvogel, Daniel Boyd, David Horvitz, Dayanita Singh, Dinh Q Le, Fional Hall, Francesco Clemente, Gigi Scaria, Guido van der Werve, Gulammohammed Sheikh, Hamra Abbas, Hans Op de Beeck, HemaUpadhyay, Hew Locke, HO Rui An, Ho Tzu Nyen, IqraTanveer, Janine Antoni, Julian Charriere, KG Subramanyan, KM VasudevanNamboodiri, Kader Attia,Katie Paterson, Khalil Rabah, Kwan Sheung Chi, Laurent Grasso, Lavanya Mani, Lindy Lee, Madhushudhanan, Manish Nai, Marie Velardi, Mark Formanek, Mark Wallinger, Martine Creed, Menik van der Poorten, Michael Najjar, Michael Stevens, Vsauce, Mithu Sen, Mona Hatoum, MuhannedCader, NS Harsha, NaeemMohaiemen, Natraj Sharma, Navin Thomas, NavjotAltaf, Neha Choksi, Nikhil Chopra, ParvithiNayar, Peter Rosel, Pors and Rao, PrajaktaPotnis, Prashant Pandey, PunaloorRajan, Pushpamala N, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Raqs Media Collective, RivanNeuenschwander, RyotaKuwakubo, Sachin George Sebastian, Sahej Rahal, Sarnath Banerjee, ShahpourPouyan, Shan thamaniMudda iah , Shumon Ahmed, S i s se lTolaas , SudhirPatwatdhan, Sumakshi Singh, Sunoj D, SurendranNayak, Susanta Mandal , Tara Kel ton , Theo Eshetu , Unnikr i shnan C, ValsanKoormaKolleri, Wendelien van Oldenborgh, William Kentridge, WimDelvoye, Xu Bing, Yang Zhengzhong, Yoko ono

Sir Valsan rearranged the natural elements found in this unused site as laterite stones, mud and clay. In his work How goes the Enemy the beauty of the installation slowly emerged because of rainfall and humid air.

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Sir Scaria's bell dangles above the sea in Pepper House. This work sought its inspiration form coastal folklore of European ships that sank off the cost due to weight of the large bells they were carrying with, for the new churches being built in the new colonies. A video installation based on a performance was I have only one language, it is not mine by Mithu Sen,

The Student's Biennale was another part of Kochi Muziris Biennale. It is a platform for the students in higher education. It is a great opportunity for each students who are selected to participate in this international exhibition.

There has been a team of 15 young curators who curated the exhibition with great earnest. They were Parni Roy, Lina Vi n c i e n t S u n i s h , A n a n n y a M e h t t a , JignaPadhair, Pallavi Paul, CharuMaithani, VaishnaviRamanathan, Geetika Arora, AryakrishnanRamakrishnan, ArkoDatto, Faiza Hasan, SachiShobhana, Krupa Desai, PranamitaBorgahain, Sumaiya Khan.

Students participated from East- Manipur, Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, West- Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, North-Jammu, Srinagar, Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, South- Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Children's Biennale has been another great opportunity for the children who have just been keeping their first step in the vast art world and to explore their innovative art methods. The Kochi Biennale Foundation arranged some cultural activities along with exhibition like Artists' Cinema, 100-day film festival. History Now - Seminars and Talks. Let's Talk with Artists, Critics and Public Cultural Programs. In the Student's Biennale, Sumanta Dutta Choudhury, Nayak Amritanandana, Gangotree Dasgupta were selected from Assam University Silchar and our curator was Arko Datto . We were fortunate to have the opportunity to exhibit our works in the Biennale. It provided us a great chance not only to exhibit but also to meet new artists, students and local people and to watch the great Artist's works live, to know the different levels of art in India and other places like USA, France, Singapore, South Africa, UK, etcFrom the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2014, we could learn many things connected with art and its exhibition, and brought with us a bag full of memories and experiences..

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ANIRBAN DHARTitle : Attitude, Medium : Mixed Media on Paper,

Size : 8.5x9 inch, Year : 2014

y% y% y !# y xy x!yy! =

I saw the angel in the marble andcarved until I set him bree. -Michelangelo.

yy !y # & y! ~ !# ye # yy!y yy ! yy! xyy y! y !% y ! ~z ) yy !y !ls y y ! xz !# yy x !!T y&!# y xy y y! yy! y yyy y #vy ! y y! #% y y% y ! !! xD#yk xyhsy! y! !# y xy 2014 ! ~! !yD xyy! xyM! !e yy 2014 !K (Resource Person) ! y ~ yyy# xyUy %y%! z !# yyyy xyUy vz xy xy%! !y !! x!%

x!y !yD xysf y y vzy ~ xyy y! !!ey y xy % ! yy vz_)yMz ~z xyy xyy y xy xM ! xy! yz !! ! ~ yyy xyy % zryT y xyy !e! xyy y ! ~ xyy y ! y vzy yy# yy y xy! y xyy yy ! y xyy !z y ~! ~ vz!i ! yy# ~ yy# ! ~y xyy yz ~ xyy y %! x!y 19 1961 yy# ~! # ! yy yy x!y y ~yy! yy y ! ! ! ! T ~z ! ! xyy yy !y xy y ! yy ! xy! yy ~y ~ x D y !! !hy! yy %y ~z ! xyy y % ~! y xy! yy y yz # ~yy yy ! x!y ~ !e!# y yy ~ydy !y y,! y =&c)y xy !# y y ! y yy xy !# ~ ! ~ l ~y %G & xyy zryyy xy y yz y! %! !! yy yy D !ls ~y !!T ! ! !!T yy y=y ! yy y% yyy! !z ~y xyy x!Ky ! ~yz yy! xyy u y= y ! xyy ~! %z x y! yy%! y y! !% y y y yy# yy# y !!y# !!y# y !y !y x y# y xyUy %v ~y %z yy! !ls ! y yy!w ,! !# yz ! xy ! xy! yy# !y % ~y =&c) )!y y y ! ! y ! yy ! y y ! y x # =c) !%y xy !z ~y y yz yy e !# y ! yy =&c) )!y z iy ~y )!y

INTERVIEW

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x!y !yD xysf xy! ! xyy xyy !% y y %y z %y y xyy y y ! y)e vz& z!r ! ~ y% ! y!hs y% ! y y xyy ! y yy xy yyy y ~! y y yy x!Ky ! y v yyvy xy! !y ! xy !y! !_ yy xy e y y y ~z=y xyy !y z xy v !y! Ky xy! ! Ky !Ty x y y y ~ Ky! y!_ !% x y% y y %k ,!# y% y !hy xy xy y!v Ky !!_ z !y y y y ! xyyy ! ) y xy y ~! # l y ~ xy!T y ~! yy y y y y yy y xyy yzxyy y! ! y yz % y y ~! x# ! xyy ~ y y ! ye ~z vzy ) By xyy y% % # y!y yyy y ! !% ~y y xyy y x% & ! ,!y xyy %!G! z!uy xy !% z xy xyy !% %!G y vy ~=y xy!! xy@ !l y ~=y xy ! z yz xy ,!y y xy z!T!vz =y iy ~ yy y !! y ~yz ~z y!y !! yy ! ~ y xyy yy !% y xy! ! y yy y ~y v xy T zyu y xy!T z !% ! y yy y y! yy y ! zy# ! yy y y y y ! ,!y x !%z xyy y! ! ~z yy ! xyy %z _ #wy y!hs! ~ ! xyy Ty y % ~ ,c ! #wy y! !y!y ! y )! %z y ! xyy xy ~ z xy! ~ xyy %y !%! y ~z y!y yy ! xyy Ty ! ~ y xyy ~y y ~ ! xyyy ! xy! ~ xyy %y ) yy Ty ! ,!y xyy xy xyy xy ~ Ky %yz T y ! xyy Ky ! !% xy!y Ty ! xy! xy y !% ! y xyy xy! xy xy! !y ! ! xy! y!y Ky yz y y xyy!y! y % xy # y Kyy y y xyy y y ~y v ~ !_ ~ y ~y y y xy! y!_y ! Ky !y# z y y Ky !ls xy! y ! y% z xyy hc xyy # xyy y # y ! Ky ! y vzy * xy! yy y% xy! z!uy y!r y% xy y xy! ~z ! z y @ ! v ! xy! %!Ty y% ~z !=y % y ! ~y & y yy yy y !y yz xyy ! yvz !y! xyy %z xy,T % yvzyz !! y Ky ~ y xy! ! y y!y yy yz ! y yz y ,!y ~!y % ~y ! & xyy ,!y !ls xyy # T y! yv# !yy ~y y! y zy % y! xyy yy ~y y y! !!! xy ! y y ,!y ~z ! ~y ! ! z xyy yy ~ y !%* y ) Kyy ! xyy y! y y ~y xyy ~y , xy!Dy ! xy y! ! yy y xy y! xy xyy xy y ! ~yz y y xyy ) y ! x!yz y yG y

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x!y ~z D )e xy! !y z!r yyyy vziy z yy vz xyy xy z!r ~y xy yz xyy #! %!G ! ! yy yvy y ~ ! y y ~y y y& xyy y xyFy ~y y y xyy ~! yyz! yy xy ,yy yy ~ y yy yy yz xyy y ) ! F xy! y ! ! ! vy xyy ! ! y y! xy! yy y% y %! v y vy vz& y yy ! yz ~ !% y yy y% y z z z!r y yy ! xyy yvy y y z z!r T y y xyy !! ~y zvzy ~ yz ~ yz ! ~ !% xyvz y y yy y% !y y ~ydy y yy ~ x ! y ! xz y !y z !ls xy! ~ xyy xz !y z y y y y vz%_ ! ! ~yz !y z!r ~ yy x!y xyy ~z ,!T!D y ! y! xy y ,!Ty y ! y xy % xy! !y ~z ,!# y !% !! xyy yz !# ! y# y e xyy xy@ z =yy ~ ~! v yu xyy z y !% xy@ z xyy % !% y yy zF y yy y% y %! y xyy y !r xz yy y% y !ls u y# y!y y y ,T !! y v ! yy y% yyy yz yy y% ! xy ~:! y!y ! ~y ~y !!y! z siy ~y yy yy y!# ! ~z y xy z vz& z!r !#y xy! y !# yz! ~ ! xyy y xy! xy!T z y xy! ~ y xy!T xy! yz y! ! xyz vyr yx!y !y % y! xy!!y y ~! y ! xyy =y ~! y! yy By yyy! ~ y yy! !v y yy # y xy y xy! z y ! xyy !y yy !hsy! y !v y y yy y !ls yy y!y! y %_ z vy xyy ! y y y xyyy !ls ! vyy y y y y!y! ,_ yz ! x!y zyy y Ky yuy xyz %_ y xy zyy xyy !% %! y z x%! y zyy ~ y yy y y z ! ~ y xyy ~ yy% e vz! y x#y y yy e yz v % !y =y z D xy! ~y =z !% y yz ,!# y x !%z y yy y yx!y yy xyy y ~z )) y yy y!v xy y y! x@ F xyyy y ) yy y ! y y xy )yy yy y yy ! xyy ! y yy ) yy # yy !kyhs yy ~ xhs)_ xy yy yy! ! y ! y % ~y !# ! xy! % !yy ! !#y y#y y z y !ls !y y# ~z y xy! !y ! y y xy! ! xy !! x !yy !# xyy yz y!y xyy x !!vy !# !y ,!# xy !!T ~ y yy y !e ! yy y yyy y ~vyT z xy z!T!vz =y # ~ y y ~ !y#y xy %r !ls y yyy myy ! y y %rz hs !y y y

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x!y yy !y e y! zy! y ! !y v % xyy y xy !% !% y ! y !ls xy! ! =y !!F yz zy! yuyry! yy !yy e yy y !_y# z xyy yyx!y ! ~ xy! %y! ! zT xy y x!Ky y xy yy y% ! y ~ y ~y xq$ xy yy y xy! #! @y y% ! y ! yy xy y yz xyy %z _ ! !yy x y y! y xy ~yy yy y% myy y! yy ~ xy y% !y y yx!y ~ ! xy xy ~ ! ! !!y #,!zy ~ !# y !! yyy xy xyyv! ! ey ! v y y xyyv!z =&c) !ls ! % Ky xyv y y !! y xyyv! ! !y ~! Kyy yy xyyv! yvy y% ! yy xy! ~ !&k z yyyy y =&c) xyyv! xy% !y zvz!y!! ! yy F ~ yy yF zvz!y!! y xyyv! y y y !# y yy ~y ~y y y ,!# !y x !#z xyyv! !# ~y vy xy yy ! yy xyyv! !yy yy vy xy!T xy yy y y! yy y xy!T y ~z yy x v ! !y xy! !y ! !_ y !_ ! y y zvz!y!! !y =&! yz ~y ~vv * ~z vzy !!y iy z!yy %y#xy y zFyz xy ! y yz y y yvz !% yy y yx!y !# y y y y xy xy! xy y!! ~ !# xy! ! ~ !# ! y# !y !y! xy! ~ yy zD xyUyy ~ % # !!e xyy yey & ~z )_ #y y% xyy y y % x%y yy %!v y !! ) xyy yvzu% y y yy xyy !% xy % y ~! yu yy ~ yy !y ! y xy !v !Dy xyy y !% y yy yz ,!cy yz ~yvy xyy x ! !% z xy! !! xy! ~y xy y! zy# xyy xy ~! ! xy! ~ !vz y y! xyy yy ! y ~! xy #y !F yz % % xy! ! xy ! #y ! ! xyy yy xy! % !!y !y y xyy xy ! ~z y ! xy yz y # y yz # xy@ ! !y !y yy!y y z yy yTy y !yv# yyy xyy xyy ~=y xy yy ! !%z !y y vyyy xy xyy !%y !y xy yy !%! ~y !!y! ! & y vyyy ~ y !y y xyy % yyzy xy y !! y[ %_ y x!y y xy ~z !%y y# y! # ~ xz ~ y !# y !y y %% y xy ! xyy y z xyy ~ ~ l! ! !y z y xyy y ~ ! ! 1951 y yy !y !ey yy !y yy !ey & zy xy% !y ! !y y! xyy !y yy ! z vy yy ! ~ yv# % z ~ xy v y ! ~y xy@ # y!# % % ! yy # ! yy

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zvy y vy !y !! yy y y y v ! yDy# %y !y y xyy !y ~% ! y xyy yv# y yyy ! y !y xy! yy %# z! !y xyy xy y ! ~y )!y y !ls z & z xy! ! !# xy! xy y!! M xy !! ! xyy ! xy@ ! y% xy y y #y yy yGy xy! Ty ! !y xyy !hsy yy y y ~y y y xy! !! y xy! xyy x xy!!! !v v! yGy xy! y y !z xy!! y ! ! y y xy! %z yy % vy!F xyy % ~z _ ! xyy yGy xy! ~z xyy ) y xyy x y yy ! yy y ! v% y yz xyy vz !# ! yy y y !ls ~ ! !# z xy! yzy

x!y xy! y yy y% !y y% !v ! yz ! y ! y!y ! yz !y xy y xy! !% y ! y !y y% !%y ! vzy y yy !% ~y ! xy !% ! xy! ! y xy y ! y!y xyy xy!_ xy y ! !! !# ! y z xyy x xy! yy z !% ~y y ~ ~z y x z yy y ~y y! y yz #y y !y !y yz=y y xyy xy yz yy ! / y ~ y y

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at the Aakruti Art Gallery , Abhivyakti Sanskritik sthal, Kirti Mandir, Vadodara. From 3rd to 6th Jan,2015.

This interview was done prior to the curated show" new development in warli art" by Jothi Xavier ,a Baroda based Art Historian, as part of his research and documentation project under IFA. The show was held

Interview with Jothi XavierBy Rollie Mukherjee

1. What are the Methodological/theoretical framework you employed to undo the Anthropological position and generate different possibilities and new groundings? When I set out to document the Warli artists, I did not have aready-made framework or any alternative methodologies to counter the anthropological tools normally used while writing/curating tribal art. The strategy I followed was to be constantly aware of the dangers/pitfalls in falling back to anthropology especially when it comes to studying tribal art.Felix Padel, in his seminal work 'Sacrificing People - Invasions ofTribal Landscape' argues that British colonialists, anthropologists and the missionaries have approached Adivasis as primitive people labeling them as savages in need of mainstreaming. As a result, all the three groups of people have done more damages than any good and have been solely responsible for propagating negative stereotypes about Adivasis which has come to be deeply embedded in the psyche of modern Indian society.[i] Tribal museums from the beginning of colonial India in the guise of collecting and saving function as mechanisms of perpetuating negative stereotypes about Adivasis alienating them from their own culture as well as from others. Art history too has followed this tendency when it comes to writing/curating tribal art. In our documentation and research works, what we have tried to do was to identify and document the new developments taking place in their works. So we did not spend our time and energy in documenting and studying Warli rites, rituals, songs and dances which have already been done by YashodaraDalmiya in his seminal work, Painted World of the Warlis.We therefore decided to treat a Warli painting like any other work of art with its own diverse subject matter, style and medium. In other words, it wasn't our intention to invent new tools to study Warli art but to treat it like any other art whereby rejecting colonial anthropological framework. With this clarity, we felt that an alternative framework for curatorial project will emerge during the course of our documentation of the young Warli artists' work. It remains to be seen whether we will be able to succeed at least to some extent in our endeavour.

2. How do you see the whole notion of innovation and experimentation as the most important part of your enquiry and countering the Anthropological stand which perceives the Tribal Art(vernacular) as dead and thereby fossilize it. In dealing with tribal art, Art historical practises have mostly relegated Warli art to craft thereby not recognizing the development and innovation taking place by the various artists in the region. By bringing the new developments in Warli art to the forefront, we are making a conscious attempt to show that Warli art/artists as constantly evolving entity which is essential for any art/artists. One of the important findings of our research and documentation work is that Warli artists by and large work with different themes and subject matters going beyond Warli rites and rituals, songs and festivals. Dilip R Bahotha for example has brought out the deep ecological connection that exist between the forest and rivulets; Reena S Umbarsada has juxtaposed cleverly and diagonally in her work titled Village and the City the two worlds that she inhabits and navigates in her life and work. The painting is a visual documentation of two different worlds and worldview separated by its own activities and occupation. Pratik R Dandekarin his recent painting titled, The various (ab)uses of body, he is able to use Warli idiom to tell the stories of women's exploitation which he has encountered in the city he works. By writing/curating such works, we hope to broaden the scope of Walri art/artists whereby we are able to challenge categories which seeks to fossilize and stereotype tribal art often placing it in a time warp.

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3. Though over the recent years there have been some scores of shows curated which attempted at removing the anonymity of the "Tribal "artists by placing them at par with the mainstream urban contemporary artists yet they are still recognized by their community identity.What is your take as a curator who is dealing with the question of" Individualism". My curatorial project differs from the other tribal art projects which are often guided by anthropological framework resulting into fossilization of tribal art. Such methodologies do not take into account innovation, creativity, improvisation with new materials, etc which are dear to any art and artists. Throughout the ages, artists have felt the need to respond to the signs of the times. In the case of Warli art, a certain style and medium was considered as 'authentic' whereby preventing innovation and improvisation. My curatorial project therefore seeks to find out how the new generation of Warli artists are responding to the signs of the times, albeit grounded in their own tradition. While seeking to do this, I believe, it will throw up new framework and methodologies to understand the emerging tribal art laden with complex tribal experience in today's context. 4. Can you trace the history of Art practice in Talasari. Why did you select only the New Generation of Warli artists from Talasari in your show titled "The New Developments in Warli paintings"? The Jesuits in Talasari mission opened schools in the villages. The Warli students who studied were encouraged to paint greeting cards. Those who excelled in it were encouraged to paint Warli murals in the churches and in the community halls as in Jari and in Gangangaon. The one who played crucial role in developing young Walri boys and girls as artists were Bro. Maxim and later Fr. Wendell. They not only nurtured young talents but also helped them sell their works. The biblical murals executed in the Warli churches gave them the much needed experience to work in large space, narrative genre and theological concepts. This also gave them an opportunity to bond with each other, learn from one another which resulted into a creative and productive Warli artists group. The impetus given by Bro. Maxim and Fr. Wendell can be seen in the works of each artist and my intervention is to document this developments among the new generation of the Warli artists. 5. What do you think are the problematic involved in such projects when the researcher is an "outsider" Thank you for reminding me this; in fact, as Felix Padel puts it, all those who have worked with indigenous communities have benefitted more than what they have contributed to the 'development' of Adivasis. In my decade long engagement with Adivasi youth earlier and now with Walri artists, I am always aware of this fact. Awareness brings in certain consciousness which makes one sensitivity to the local culture and people's aspirations. Warli society today is exposed to various outside agencies and institutions that they have found ways and means to negotiate with 'outsiders' like me. As a researcher, one needs to recognize this important fact and my work from the beginning has been to make it mutually beneficial. If my research only benefits my needs without addressing the needs of the community from which knowledge has been gathered, will be an exercise born out of selfish interests. 6. In your indulgence and research in warli Art, what are the aesthetic criterion within their indigenous culture that you noticed and studied which stand in opposition to the aesthetic norms and analysis which the "High Art "utilize in judging works. I beg to disagree with the very premises of the question;there are no different sets of aesthetic criteria and norms existing and standard different the clear demarcation that exists between categories such as tribal, dalit and folk art Warli art by and large have monochromatic background in which white poster colour is used to delineate the Warli story. This tradition has its roots in chauk paintings done on the mud walls with rice powder in the dark interior by the married women for weddings. The stark contrast created by the while lines on the dark earth colours with its own unique texture; certain facility with which Warli artists abstract life and nature around them with ingenious motifs have captivated the art lovers all over the world and has created

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certain taste and aesthetics.The new generation of the Warli artists continue to paint and cater to the taste and aesthetics developed during the past few decades. At the same time, as artists, it has become important to innovate which can be seen in the works in display. Innovation also means an attempt to create new taste and aesthetics in Warli art. Some, if not all are eager to experiment with colors and are willing to borrow from other visual tradition.Such developments will force us to rethink our existing perspectives on tribal art and devise ways and means to study and understand the changing Warli aesthetics. 7. One of the significant aspect of your project is documentation of the murals done by Talasari artist in different village churches due to acculturation. What are the eclecticism and changes that you observe in their articulation. Theology of inculturation buttressed by Indian nationalist movement in Christianity inspired a particular style of art and architecture throughout India. There have been many attempts by the churches to forge a dialogue with local cultures thereby creating a whole new genre of art and architecture. As I have shown elsewhere in my work, this acculturation attempts produced eclecticism in the church art and architecture. In the Warli context too, Warli artists responded creatively in the biblical murals they painted in the churches. It is important to note that The Warli artists when asked to paint the biblical themes did not always feel the need to borrow from the available repertoire of Christian symbols and motifs but were inspired to innovate within their own tradition too. For example, in the creation story from the Book of Genesis, the creator is depicted as the master musician blowing a Warli Musical instrument (tarpa). Creatures of all kinds come from the breath of the Creator, the original source of life. Thus Warli artists are not only innovative in conceiving their own symbols and motifs but also their paintings reflect rich theological insights. Warli Artists (many of whom have participated in this exhibition) who have painted the church murals not only were able to innovate in the depiction of the biblical narrative themes, but also were able to visualize in Warli idiom the important biblical passages and themes very successfully. 8. What lacuna do you feel in the aesthetic theories and Art Historical accounts on Tribal" (vernacular) Art. Benoy P.J., in problematizing categories such as tribal art has articulated this lacuna: Tribal art has mostly been discussed as repetitive reformulations of preordained schema, collectively arrived at and subject to limited innovation, where all questions of politics has to be overlooked.[ii] My curatorial project aims to undo the very stereotypes that constitutes Tribal Art 9. It is often seen in the shows curated on Tribal" (vernacular) Art in particular that the curator is a higher authority, who selects the works and positions them. His position reshuffles between" we" and" I "and in the process the artist's agency is negated. I believe it is the case with all the curated exhibitions. That is why one often finds artists themselves curating their own exhibitions these days. May be the next Warli art exhibition should be curated by one of the artists themselves. At the end of Warli art Residency organized in 2008, the artists themselves curated a show in Gnanmata High School at Talasari. With little curatorial assistance, they could probably do so in the coming years. 10. Almost all of the knowledge produced or which is part of the discourse till today, is an outsider view or initiatives. What do you think are the possibilities where insiders from the community are involved in the production and circulation of their knowledge? At the end of the Art, Research and Documentation program supported by IFA, the knowledge gathered, works documented, articles written, experiences gained will be shared with each artist for their own reference and use. 11. Over the past few decades we have observed that the warli Art has gained popularity and has been highly marketed and appropriated in multiple ways. In what way do you think this project is intervening in the art market if at all it is so?

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Most of the artists who are participating in this show spend a great deal of time in travelling to various cities in India to participate in the handicraft exhibitions. They are also engaged in farming and in the remaining time paint. In the coming months, we are exploring the possibilities to market and network with galleries, art institutions and art buyers so that artists are able to spend more time in painting and get better price for their creations. I am sure, a series of exhibitions we are planning in the coming months will break new grounds in showcasing and marketing Warli art. 12. As your project also undertakes new possibilities of poly-chromatic exposure to the artist, how do you see this as an innovative option? In the Warli artists residency held in April 2014 at Nasik, our main intention to invite you was that your presentation and water colour demonstration will give Warli artists the much needed exposure in handling water colour and executing wash technique. This experiment elicited mixed response. Artists like Reena and Kusum felt that they are not adequately equipped to handle such cumbersome technique and preferred to work with their traditional medium where as many other artists were eager to learn and experiment to find newer possibilities in their work. From the beginning, we wanted the artists to work with the medium of their choices be it their traditional Warli medium or colour and paper. During the Artist Residency, Dominic's humorous take on the new development in Walri art has baffled me till day. 13. By the introduction of multi-coloured palette you observed some kind of depth the works got to the otherwise flat rendering and composition.You say it changed from closed schematics of traditional Warli paintings. Don't you think this observation is an outcome of your Art Historical learning. Don't you think we need new criterion of judgement? My own observation during my research and documentation visits was that many of the artists are too eager to learn new compositions, explore new subject matters, medium and technique. Fr. Wendell who has mentored many of the participating artists(though not formally trained in art history) has been able to do a brilliant formalistic analysis of their paintings. By isolating Warli art and advocating different sets of aesthetic norms and criteria, we are only perpetuating the existing stereotypes. At the same time, I am compelled to say that Warli art is not same as other arts and a single methodology or frame work cannot be used to study all the arts. Those of us who have critiqued art history employing anthropological tools in studying tribal/dalit art do not in any way advocate other 'limiting' or 'confining' methodologies. Even while recognizing and appreciating traditional Warli art and aesthetics, it is our earnest attempt to find new ways of embracing the changing taste, aesthetics and tribal reality. In other words, I am advocating a greater flexibility and fluidity in writing/curating /understanding tribal art even to the extent of breaking clearly defined boundaries.

[ i ]Fel ix Padel,Sacrif icing People Invasions of Ttibal L a n d s c a p e , O r i e n t BlackSwan, 2011 [ii]Benoy P.J., 'Tribal Art and Dalit Art' in DeepthaAchar and Shivaji K. Panikkar, eds., Articulating Resistance-Art and Activism,Tulika Books, 2012, p.170.

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