FROM EDITOR'S DESK

We 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 serving
the aesthetic world of this area with vision.
It is our desire to develop the skill
and talent of the tender boys and girls and.
We have been thriving for it with
determination as we have belief in Pablo
Picassos Words that Every child is an
Artist.
This issue is dedicated to the memory
of the great artist Mukunda Debnath. We
lost him one year back. No praise is sufficient
for him. He has become a legendary figure
of this valley by dint of his aesthetic work in
his life time.
We bow our head in his memory.
Like other issues, we have pulished
different writings here also which will be
given benefit to the student and art lovers.
We always welcome the valued
suggestions/constructive criticism of our
patrons and well wishers.

MUKUNDA DEBNATH

Cover Ar tist

Let peace prevail everywhere.

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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 scholar
of Deptt. of Bengali, Assam University, Silchar.
ANIRBANJYOTI GUPTA is a Silchar based freelance
writer .
ROLLIE MUKHERJEE is Desire paths publishers,
Vadodara (Baroda) based Independent Artist-CriticPoet-Research Editor.
KUMAR AJIT DUTTA is a Guwahati based art critics
and writer.
PRADIP CHAKRABORTY a Kolkata based art critics
and writer.
Kenny Schachter is a London-based art curator and
writer.

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 Vinci

A munificent study on printed pictures

Dr. Raj Kumar Mazinder
Down to Memory Lane

D# ! y #y
v. #

1
3
5
8
11

Art Trust An idea and activities with Art

Arpita Pradhan
13
Mount Abu
through their eyes : Niv Artists-in-Residency, 2014
Anirban Dhar
16
A Gala Art Fair 2015
Swapan Kr. Singha
18

!v! xy # !y#y
#y ! v)zy

19
Site Pecific Art Installation at St. Xaviers College
Rollie Mukherjee, Dr. Lancelot DCruz,
Jothi F Xavier
20
Art & Craft Workshop in Fine Art Academy
23
Experience in an Exhibition
Gangotree Dasgupta
24

y% y% y !# y xy
x!yy! =
Interview with Jothi Xavier
Rollie Mukherjee

x ~ !e!#
%y x! _
y
# e#
yuy
Its snowing Art Advisers
Kenny Schachter

27
32
36
40
43
44

Copyrights of the articles belong to the respective authors.

All the views expressed in the writings are of the respective
authors. The publication does not necessarily subscribe
to the views expressed by the contributors.

Printed at :

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

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

%%y xyy z !y!e

%! y
xyy ! yy yz
!y y

Special Issue-II | January-June, 2015

Chief Advisor
Prof. Tapodhir Bhattacharjee
Ex-Vice Chancellor, Assam University, Silchar

Advisor
Dr. Nirmal Kanti Roy
Dr. Meghali Goswami
Dr. Rajkumar Mazindar
Dr. Ganesh Nandi

Publisher & Printer

Sandipan Dutta Purkayastha
+91-9864374011, 9401236225

Editor
Tapojyoti Bhattacharjee
+91-9435503475

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

Managing Editor
Sanjay De

Cover Design
Prashanta Seal

Issue Design
Manas Bhattacharjee

Asstt. Editor
Pinak Pani Nath

Creative & Production

Mithun Paul

Marketing & Advertising

Binay Paul
Joydeep Bhattacharjee

Photographer
Arup Mazumder

Silchar Correspondent
Anurupa Bhattacharjee
Art Echo Office Address :
Mahaprabhu Colony (Sri Gauranga Pally)
Malugram, Silchar - 2, District - Cachar, Assam
Ph. No. : +91-9864374011, 9401236225, 03842-262178 (O)
Fax : 03842-262125, e-mail : artechoshilpangan@gmail.com

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4

Incredible luminaries of modern art scenario in Assam:

A munificent study on printed pictures of

Mukunda 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.

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
practical exposure to Indian
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.

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
Upatoyakar Silpochorsha,
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

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 fullfledged 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)

PHOTO ESSAY

DOWN TO MEMORY LANE

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11

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12

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 works

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

14

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.

15

MOUNT ABUthrough '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

16

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 observation,
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.

RAJASHREE DUTTA CHOUDHURY

Title : 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.

17

A Gala Art Fair 2015

Organised by- By Barak Art & Craft Society

Swapan 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.

18

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19

ITE
PECIFIC ART INSTALLATIONS AT
T.XAVIER'S COLLEGE,
AHAMADABAD. DEC.2014
BY Rollie Mukherjee/ Dr Lancelot D'Cruz /Jothi F Xavier

ANIRBAN DHAR
Title : Attitude, Medium : Mixed Media on Paper,
Size : 8.5x9 inch, Year : 2014

The Tarumitra group in the St. Xavier's college conducted

the Site specific Art Installation activities under the handprint 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.
20

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.
21

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 representing 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
develop their extraordinary powers of
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 socalled 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.
22

ART & CRAFT WORKSHOP IN

FINE 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.
23

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.

24

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,
S h a n t h a m a n i M u d d a i a h , S h u m o n A h m e d , S i s s e l To l a a s ,
SudhirPatwatdhan, Sumakshi Singh, Sunoj D, SurendranNayak, Susanta
M a n d a l , Ta r a K e l t o n , T h e o E s h e t u , U n n i k r i s h n a n 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.

25

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 EastManipur, Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, WestRajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa,
Madhya Pradesh, North-Jammu, Srinagar,
Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, SouthKarnataka, 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,
etc
From 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..

26

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31

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

at the Aakruti Art Gallery , Abhivyakti Sanskritik sthal,

Kirti Mandir, Vadodara. From 3rd to 6th Jan,2015.

Interview with Jothi Xavier

By 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.
32

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
33

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?
34

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 polychromatic 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?

[i]Felix Padel,Sacrificing
People Invasions of Ttibal
Landscape, Orient
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.

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.
35

REVIEW

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42

REPORT

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43

INTERNATIONAL

It's Snowing Art Advisers:

Kenny Schachters
Best of 2014, and
Predictions for 2015
Kenny Schachter

Kenny Schachter is a London-based art dealer, curator, and writer.

Installation view of Korakrit Arunanondchai, 2557 (Painting with history in a room filled with men with
funny names 2), 2014, at Carlos Ishikawa. COURTESY THE ARTIST AND CARLOS ISHIKAWA
44

The Best of London in 2014

Let us put aside the oodles of money, the stupefying levels of celebrity
worship and the trend of early retiring art brats and focus on the good
stuff: the art, the artists, the museums, and the galleries, like it's 1999
instead of 2014.
It's nice to see a gallery doing things right. In her generosity of spirit,
dealer Vanessa Carlos of London's Carlos/Ishikawa reminds me of the
late, legendary Colin de Land of New York's now-defunct American Fine
Arts. In today's gallery solar system there are the money-obsessed and
the hyper-hipsters, and not a whole lot in between. Colin would tumble
out of his grave if he saw the current crop of pretenders. Vanessa he
would approve of. She shows true passion in the way she nurtures her
artists and supports and furthers their careers.

An installation view
of Korakrit
Arunanondchai's
work at ICA
London, at right.
COURTESY ICA
LONDON

One of Carlos/Ishikawa's artists is Korakrit Arunanondchai. Serious-minded, focused, and somehow outsideof-it-all, Arunanondchai seamlessly combines video, performance, painting, and sculpture in his work. His
solo show at Carlos/Ishikawa was augmented by an appearance in a group exhibition at the ICA London,
comprised of expressionistically painted canvases, seating elements, and mannequins with an integral video
component.
His collaborative feature-film-style trailers and videos speak of unknowable, vaguely religious rituals of
youth culture incorporating fashion and music. The disparate works were intended as a unified whole and the
gallery wisely sold them in groups rather than separately to avoid the inevitable market grab for the more
sellable paintings.
Another artist from Carlos/Ishikawa's stable is 31year-old U.K.-born Ed Fornieles, whose allover
installation called Modern Family at the not-forprofit Chisenhale harked back to Ed Kienholz with
computers substituted for TVs and kitsch kiddy
snacks and cereals taking the place of Kienholz's
hippy artifacts. Fornieles's work is often, annoyingly,
lumped in with so-called post-Internet art, but its
connection with art history makes it anything but ofthe-moment.
MoMA's retrospective of Sigmar Polke, which
landed at Tate Modern in October, shows that the
work of the late Polke, an incongruous mix of devious
scientist and demented humorist, remains as
infectiously likable and devilishly frustrating as ever.
Ed Fornieles, Modern Family, 2014,
His orgiastic, outwardly ad hoc (but secretly very
at Chisenhale Gallery in London.
deliberate) celebration of colors, forms and toxins has
ANDY KEATE/CHISENHALE
made him more influential than just about anyone
since Warhol. One complaint: I found MoMA's lack
of labels maddening; call me a fogey.
45

Sigmar Polke, Laterna Magica, 198896.

COURTESY CHRISTIE'S
Honorable mention must of course
go topolke/richter, richter/polke, a
show I curated at Christie's private
treaty gallery in Mayfair. I lifted the
title from the last time the two
showed together, at galerie h in
Hanover in 1966. My intention was
to pit the leading lights of postwar
German art against one another in a
symbolic bout inspired by Bruno
Bischofberger's staged campaign of
Warhol vs. Basquiat in 1985. There
were no losers in either ring.
The action wasn't only in London,
mind you. Franz West worked right
up until his last one-person show in
2012 before his untimely death. Last
year's West show at theHepworth
Wakefield was a tour de force from
an artist who, since the 1970s, had
been creating a sense of delirium as
he pranced across mediums. His
participatory works entailed viewer
alcohol consumption, newspaperdraped chairs and exuberantly
sloppy blobs of sculptural joy.
Ida Ekblad at Herald St.
COURTESY HERALD ST

Thirty-four-year-old Norwegian artist Ida Ekblad is another cross-practitioner who

dwells in the lands of sculptures, paintings, music, and poetry. Herexhibition at Herald
Street comprised a series of abstract paintings with a dose of figuration; they resembled
graffiti and doodles writ large. Ekblad's paintings push and pull between childish and
solemn; they're colorful but with a muted, reduced palette. She is one to watch.
Veteran George Condo weighed in with two very distinct simultaneous shows. Last
year, Condo came down with Legionnaires' disease, went into a coma, and nearly died.
The brooding works on paper at the London outpost of Per Skarstedt gallery were made
prior to the disease's onset; he made the peppy, colorful paintings at Simon Lee after he
recovered.Per Skarstedt got the short end of the stick commercially, but both shows
were impactful and, taken in combination, probably represent the artist's best work.
Rarely is an artist's best work the most recent work.
The only thing I miss about New York is the ease and convenience of visiting dense
gallery clusters throughout the city. And so a favorable mention must go to the upstart
galleryUnion Pacific, not so much for the show that was up when I visited, but for the
tenacity it took to open in the middle of nowhere, on Goulston Street in London's East
End. Kudos to proprietors Nigel Dunkley and Grace Schofield, former art students who
ended up at Carlos/Ishikawa and Gagosian galleries, respectively, and managed to find
the wherewithal to go it alone. I'll certainly make the trek again.
46

The Year Ahead

Installation view of 'George Condo: Ink Drawings' at Skarstedt.

COURTESY SKARSTEDT

Vi t o A c c o n c i , T h i r t y - F i v e
Approaches, 1970, which sold at
Sotheby's New York for $78,125 in
November.
COURTESY SOTHEBY'S
Look for a big buzz for ephemera from old-school conceptualists from the
1960s and '70s, like Vito Acconci, who had a seismic jump at Sotheby's New
York's November day sale when a handful of his typed pages reached nearly
$80,000 on an estimate of $25,000. Look for rises in Chris Burden, Douglas
Huebler, Adrian Piper, and the like. Oh, and does anyone remember market
phenom Parker Ito?
Recently I was traveling with my kids and carrying along a covetable
Christie's freebie, a canvas tote with a silver triple Elvis on one side and four
gold Brandos on the other. With auction house disruptions afoot, sure to be
followed by cost-cutting measures, such brand-boosting giveawaysboth
paintings sold at the auction house's headquarters in New York in
Novembermay soon be a thing of the past. The bag was branded beyond
what even Warhol could imagine, emblazoned with the combined sale price
of the paintingsa cool $150,000,000.
The bag got my 18-year-old Adrian and me thinking: Why not democratize
dealer advertising in a way Warhol would relish? In other words: If you can't
beat the auction houses, join 'em. We conjured a clothing and accessory line
bearing a matter-of-fact Art Advisor logo that, on T-shirts, becomes a kind
of sandwich board announcing: Want art? One T-shirt has Danh Vo's
signature gold-leafed American flag works along with the text: Do you
Vo? Another says, I Give Discount. Another has a nice undulating carpet
motif of Rudy Stingel's and beseeches, Stingel Anyone? You can't afford
to let yet another potential client end up in the clutches of the likes of megaadvisors Kim Heirston or Thea Westreich. And happy holiday tidings to all.
47

Market-wise, we are in for

more of the same. Prices
for obvious things by
obvious people plus the
few wildcards that gain a
coveted seat at the party (or
exchange, as it's coming to
seem) will keep rising
while others will inevitably
drop. The upticks will be
incrementalhow could
they not with the monster
numbers achieved this past
season?but the general
direction will be up.
Records will tumble.
It continues to snow art
advisers, and the forecast
calls for a blizzard of epic
proportions. But don't
expect it to be cold; as
usual, there will be no
shortage of hot air
emanating from their
mouths. These are soidisant specialists, but much
of what they do resembles a
blindfolded game of darts.
What you hear again and
again from the armchair
advisors, no doubt in an
effort to hedge themselves,
is that the market as we
know it is on the verge of a
bubble-bursting collapse as
spec-u-lectors and
complicit artists flail about
with morals akimbo. All
the bogeymenthe gang
responsible for sullying the
name of high art from the
buy-to-sell inbetweeners,
to the artists who paint
pretty (expensive) pictures
solely to prosperare said
to represent the death knell
of the status quo. But guess
what? It's all been done
before, from Poussin to
Picasso: art, money, and
social status make for great
bedfellows; the love affair
endures.