Saturday, December 27
Friday, December 5
Monday, December 1
Sunday, August 31
Sunday, July 13
Thursday, June 12
cross posted from http://indersalim.livejournal.com/49539.html?view=8323#t8323
Jun. 13th, 2008 06:17 am (UTC)
ethics and art
hi inder,his is to formally share by my extreme discomfort in the manner 'Mochi-ki-Dukan, ART AUCTION in support of Suraj & his family' was conceived and executed. more so because you said (in a private conversation) that since this work was towards charity, it should not be criticized. in that case inder no ngo will be up for critical scrutiny. among many at pallete that day i saw extreme discomfort on the faces of suraj and his wife as they were glared at and introduced in an alien st up. this is some thing you have refused to recognize, and i dont blame you cause you never ever bother to look at them.
your project would have been stronger if either you had the artistic capacity to take us there..to their house. serve chai, samosa and get us to spend. it might be even stronger if you had done a photography workshop with the family, and sold their prints to raise money form them. but such long involved process is not the nature of your work.what you did amounted to treating them like beggars. you made them into beggars.in the city's performance art circuit you are a stalwart. works of far greater merit are expected from you. specially since the platform was so large.if you indeed want to work with the public, i suggest you read Mapping the Terrain: New Genre Public Art, edited by Suzanne Lacy.
regards
Monday, June 9
Re thinking the curation: Can Be Done In Any Corner You Like
Sometime during Shantanu Lodhs performance in front of the ‘british high commission’, and a conversation with Pratul Dash, certain conceptual loopholes in the project came to the fore, and it became clear that the curation had to be re thought and re positioned. One of the very important critiques that surfaced was that a curation coming from a reading of how the growing appropriation within the visual arts discourse had affected the concept metaphor called performance art; especially at a point when the visual art discourse in India is being swept over by the neo lib idea of the spectacle and this is having a profound impact on how an event as a marketing tool is being understood and practiced. Nonetheless the mode in which the curation was conceived was a three day event. Everything said and done the fundamental structural mistake happened there. 'Can Be Done in Any Corner you Like' went on to emphasize the dominant understand of curation as an event generating field rather than a discourse generating arena. If one had to allow for this criticism to shape the future of this curatorial project, then the project had to be re thought…re worked.
‘Can Be Done In Any Corner you Like’ is now positioned as an ongoing curatorial space which works at two levels. The blog (Can It Be Done in Any Corner You Like?), is positioned as a space for proposing and ideating, and also as the domain through which the documentation of the performances is shared and the text generates as the discursive context in which the documentation is embedded.
Planned, sporadic bursts of extensive poster campaign will be used to open up the project in terms of artists and viewers. There will no longer be an invited list of artists, instead the project offers itself as an curatorial platform for anyone who wants to do performance in non institutional/unprotected spaces in the re thinking the discourse. The project continues to be based in the imagined city of Delhi.
A formalized three member team is being put in place which maintains the blog, interacts with artists, ideates documents and fund raises. The artists participating in the project formulate a larger body which guides and works with the team. At this point certain features of the curation have been re instated after a lot of discussions with the prospective team and artists.
This remains a curatorial experiment which seeks to explore possibilities for creating art outside institutional support and spaces. We believe that there is an array of available spaces and agencies who can make such a venture possible (or impossible) but in order to locate re-think contemporary notions of curation one needs to engage with these possibilities. At a time when the alternative has either been forsaken or appropriated the project will seek to work with non mainstream modes of propagating, distributing and supporting itself. The blog is in a way the soul of the project, a site that makes the project completely transparent in terms of ideating, organizing funds and spending. The project itself will walk on the edge of being and not being an institution in a search to know whether such a space is yet possible.
There is a strong realization that contemporary culture supports a wide array of performance practices, and as we work with wider array of artists the focus should not be on the end product, the performance itself. Curatorially a deeper engagement with process is important. The failure of a performance to happen (either through negotiations within the site falling apart or due to ideological disagreements), is not a cause of lament if the process is documented and transparent.
In the spirit of de personalising this project and slowly handing it over to a team, the blog ulr has been changed fromhttp://www.ganjabengali.blogspot.com/ to www.theblackyellowarrow.blogspot.com , and the design of the blog has been completely re thought. The blog is the forum for random thoughts, demented mind and anyone interested in alternative curatorial and artistic practice. Short notes, large comments, essays cross posting are welcome. There are no administrative rights as such, who ever wants can come in and change things around.
Vibha's work
Mithu Sen's performance
the first letter
the second letter
Sunday, April 6
a much deffered post
Delhi-based performing artist of Iraqi origin Al Saidi Hassan, performed ADAM FEET, during a group exhibition of various artist at
photo credit - artmaharaj
In ADAM FEET, Al Saidi Hassan tried to raise issues of fragility, hostility and vulnerability related to the Freedom in Art in the contemporary Art scenario that prevails in post-colonial
Using the performance as a medium of expression, Al Saidi, a member of the Progressive Artists Group, made an effort to articulate the concerns of those artists who are kept at margins and who often go unheard. It also asserts the right of artists to live a life characterized with dignity, equality and justice.
After being forced to conform orders of ‘the other’ and also being denied the right to air his voice as he desired, Al Saidi, the rebellious artist, decided to make his own contribution to the Art Freedom, in support of M.F.Hussain episode. .
Al Saidi removed his shoes and then entered Anant Gallery, walking on the black- grey Rajsthani stone pavement; he stopped standing in front of many cameras which were fixed on his naked feet; then he was asked to draw with black markers, both of his feet and put his name and signature there. Then he was asked to repeat the same procedure with regard to the second step. He was further asked to do the same, making it as bigger as the ADAM FEET, in a prepared sketch book but was not allowed to do more than what was ordered. Al Saidi found the whole exercise very boring and repeated the phrase around the outline of his drawn feet: For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain, For M.F.Hussain… Finally, he was asked to come on the microphone and pronounce his name. He was not permitted to utter a single word except that. It was followed by the order: “Please Take Your Shoe and Go Back to your Place”.
For Al Saidi, the lack of freedom at the Vivian Sundram Documentary Interact Performance made the latter a clone of: ‘The US Artist Fantasy in Vivian Artistic Philosophy’, designed to rule the scenario in the exhibition. “I am a comedian target and was forced to join Action against another comedian, in taking side with self-censorship by removing my drawing from the sketchbook. Thus, I am always ready to give the M.F.Hussain case an embrace even though he enjoys security in the Arabia Filics (Dubai)and have “Al Dorado Life Style” as a refugee in exile while there is nobody to protect me or support me in my struggle for my survival as an artist in India, says the Iraqi artist. He further describes the Interactive Vivan Performance as “unfortunate” because it did not allow him to give a free opinion in support of Hussain.
Through the ADAM FEET, Al Saidi made the point that it was drawings and names of artists which lent a colour of sacredness to the Vivian Sketch Book. By the same logic, he questions what was being practiced at the Vivan Performance as it also tantamount to denying the artists the freedom and space to express in the way they wanted.
As there is no public explanation; I feel no safe to my work in his hand. Also, I do not know to which collector or
“I felt in peace in ADAM FEET performance because it symbolised origin of us all, and also because my performance was not motivated by any politico-capital interest”, says Al Saidi. A colonial mindset seems to lurk beneath the contemporary Indian art culture. He accuses the mindset to try to keep ‘others’ silent in. He wonders that such praxis are still in vogue despite the fact that all of us come into existence as a result of the multiple of intermixing among origins, ethnicities, races and classes.
Al Saidi said on the occasion: “I know what I am doing. I am not stealing or confusing art. Though my idiom is different, I also am protesting and in the process, I am not masking action or manipulating the motivation, to communicate a higher truth, regarding the conceptual bankruptcy of the political culture and ideology”. He is of the opinion that it is this Racist Culture which is instrumental in perpetuating bad living condition of many artists who are left on the margin of galleries as they do get hardly get someone to buy their artworks. Ironically, it coincides with the boom in the domestic market.
Al Saidi’s anger as symbolized in ADAM FEET heightens the sense of survival crisis which pervades the circle of non-elite artists. Is it sane in this backdrop to hold only the Political Right responsible for incidents which bear similarity to the Hussain episode? One should recall justice for the trauma; the fundamental purpose of ADAM FEET.
Thursday, April 3
jenson's performance 30th march
about a kilometer away from the the temple we descended upon the edges of the farm lands
Jenson's performance involved acts of drawing ..digging sculpting arranging destroying...searching and burying...
the farmlands near akshardham falls right in the middle of our blindspot..a neglect that allows the state and the corporates to overtake these sites causing great cultural and ecological damage to the figure of an imagined city called delhi
also see http://ganjabengali.blogspot.com/2008/04/fields-off-highway-1pm30th-march.html
Hassan Al-Saidi's intervention at the improvisation session at the last day of Khoj live 08. Venue Maxmuller bhavan
it was an alternative continuation of Hassan's works done in front of Mandi house
http://ganjabengali.blogspot.com/2008/03/artmaharajs-performance.html
"I don't wont to be like this"
• In the Sunday evening, of the 30 March 2008, the closing night of the Khoj live 08, the international performance artists festival, at Goethe Institute, Max Mueller Bhawan in New Delhi, Al Saidi Hassan Iraqi artists, based Delhi did independent outdoor performance, during the open space for spontaneous performance.
• Al Saidi Hassan, in his performance express his solidarity with Iraqi people cause as their nation under the occupation forces, try to make the aoudience aware about the tragedy created by the war, said invited them to take a position in favor of the victims fo the war asked: 'one minute silence in memoirs of the victims of the occupation of Iraq' and translating it into action to support Iraqi people.
• The artist in his performance, using new medium, and out of what used, usually in Holly Khoj festival by the others artists participants (sound design, video and body movement)? Al saidi in his performance avoked the attention of the public by his provisation act, which Tipicaly personal; to create the atmosphere in the seem present moment, He started with burning incenses, and holding it in his hand, and passing between the audience and look like a purification them, with the smile and givefed of the post card, it's a digital pretend photo of self-portrait of the artist himself. As the first time the crowd see his performing with the incence burning in his hand.
• They felt with great sympathy with him, asked him, and they laughing, if he is a pandit or an Brahman!! But the artist is not a hollyman or surround himself wth many followers or singing the divin chantes in a scared place to worship or mediation as the incenses burning performance give this kind of couriosity to the public to think like this; which the artist thing as example and unique in all Khoj issue or festival, it's a changing way of what the other artists think about art performance and the medium that touse for experimenting in: also, Hassan one from many of whom were destined to performing out of Khoj… But he find the festival, represent the right platform to communicate his art with others artists as it hold together a different idea, different expression and communication, which he find it intime and space to showcase his performance 'I don't want to be like this'. Al Saidi one from the artists whom struggle against human rights violation and above, the fighting for basic civil rights and opeses the repression of the ordinary people, so he give the opportunity to others to know about him as a telanted artist, as all associated to social causes and human right, in way or other.
• Hassan, also did performance one day before; as the festival not offers space to do? It was on 23 March, 2008 and on the street, out door, lalit Kala Academy in Mandi House?
• He act in favor of those farmer's who cometed social by hanging themselves? He writing a poem on the fotbal, where the local passerby stop, stand and keep reading it… which many aprent the performance when understand what written? His performance was titled 'let me life m life', the artist express his solidarity?
• We are all chained together
Crying as I was not able to rest
They tied my hands and feet
I move ran away, but I couldnot
And I bow down to earth
And offer myself sacrifice.
fields off the highway 1pm,30th March
Sunday, March 30
communication with Anil Dayanand
hi
sending in the event details for the performance art cutaion can be done in any corner you like
to follow the processand concept informing this curation please visit
http://ganjabengali.blogspot.com/
find attached a pdf invite.
regards
rahul
--
rahul bhattacharya
critic+art historian
2nd floor, C-15, Green Park Extention
New Delhi-110016
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rahul
Saturday, March 29
Pratul Dash's project
pratul has been growing some wheatin his studio backyard. he has planted them in word formatins fear and risk. sometime in the mid april there will be a pamphlet campaingn inviting his neighbourhood into his studio backyard for an interactive viewing project through which he intends to bring focus on the spree of farmer';s suicides ripping the agranian heartland of india.
29TH MARCH performance ...PHOTO DOCUMENTATIONS
hASSAN'S pERFORMANCE
Title : I don't want to be like this
Duration: its limited to the artist action
Location: at Mandi House, out door, Lalit Kala Akademy
Time: in the after noon, at 5 pm
Date : Saturday, 29 March 2008
About the Perform
The perform diel with forn occupation of Iraq an the descramination and abous of the Iraqian people by the occupation forces; showen the tragedy of Iraq that keepet forget in this time, and during American election in this days.
The artist believe that no body, or force in the world can take 'Freedom' away from people, he takes a risk by using personal photograph as the poritrate's of American presidents, from one to next president, drown over their names, as he feel everyone from Iraqi people is somehow without freedom under the American occupation, also to keep the memoirs of suffering by th eoccupation in relation to American presidential election, 2008 as they are all persones, condemned others to silence by their agressivity as presidentes. So, the artists say: "I don't sant to be like this" an ordinary Iraqian without freedom ferist. And also "I don't wont to be like this" as diabolical, an American president with acts of duplicity second. In the perform, the artist us a Digital selfportrait photo, secraced and drawn over with Ink craon and acrylic color; its supported by physical action, to rend the performance a live peform in his contemporary life art practice, it's a kind of manifestation in supporting freedom.
About the Artist
Al Saidi Hassan, Iraqi origin, based in Delhi artist, born in Baghdad, and educated in Rome, Italy
for the 30th march
jenson will be doing doing something in the in the agricultural lands between akshardham temple and Nizzamudin flyover. the performance will take place on the 1 pm of the 30th .
jenson does not know what he is doing
we are all meeting Jenson in fron of the akshardham temple at 12.30 pm
Friday, March 28
inauguration
after attemts to find corners inside the Old delhi station, the corner for the inauguration ceremony took place at a deserted car park in the station premises. a stubborn candel was lit to formalise the informal.
a bad vdo of the concept note reading is available at
www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=vFUfvnDCoQQ&rel=1&eurl=&iurl=http%3A//i.ytimg.com/vi/vFUfvnDCoQQ/default.jpg&t=OEgsToPDskI-WGOGSuNuf6_sCFfA_mK9
a better vdo will be uploaded soon.
event listings : changes
the inauguration ceremony took place at a deserted car park in the station premises. a stubborn candel was lit to formalise the informal.
mithu Sen's performance is now to be held on the 2nd of april...wednesday
Artmaharaj: INSECURITY GUARD'S tie was castrated during his performance at the anant art gallery as a part of Khoj live.
today at 4 pm, he will tie the castrated tie on the gates of the british council ( kasturba gandhi road-Connaught Place), and hold on the railings...waiting to be rescued. date : 29th march 2008
Hassan Al-Saidi will do a performance in mandi house on the 29th evening...a small act directed towards focussing attention towards the spree of farmer's suicides ripping the heartland of india. 5.00 pm . mandi house lawns. date : 29th march
Wednesday, March 26
performances: when where and why
asim will no longer be climbing a deserted monument at the barakhamba road
date and time un known
http://blindspot-delhi.blogspot.com/
artmaharaj will be performing as insecurity guard for 1 hour every evening outside the venues of the KhojLive 08 http://khojworkshop.org/blog/khoj_live_08
mithu sen will make an attempt to flight ....inviting passerbys to tie ballons on her, the artist will make an attempt to fly and clean to top of india gate as it is a site where many important dignitatries visit and is probably one place which has never been swept.
time the evening of 29th march...venue india gate
jenson will be doing doing something in the in the agricultural lands near nizzamuddin flyover. the performance will take place on the noon of the 30th .
jenson does not know what he is doing
Hassan Al-Saidi will do a performance in mandi house on the 29th evening...a small act directed towards focussing attention towards the spree of farmer's suicides ripping the heartland of india.
more posts to be uploaded soon
Monday, March 24
Friday, March 21
a mail sent to communicate the curation
shivji panikkar
Claire Hsu
nandini manjrekar
jayaram poduval
Sending in a link to a project i have initiated, http://ganjabengali.blogspot
the link will take you to concept note, please navigate to get the full essense of the nature of activity shaping up.
regards
rahul
hassan's performance art bio
Al Saidi Hassan has done many performances and prominent among them are:
ADAM FEET, 2008, a live performance at
Freedom Of Expression 2007, a live performance, Graffiti on the Walls, at
Death Penalty, 2007, a live performance at Khoj-2007,
The Loss OF Innocent Civilians’Life In The War, a live performance 2006, at Private T. Larech House, Lajpat Nagar,
Game Of Power, Video Performance, 2006, at Take Hiro Noguchi, Private House, (Party Hosted For Khoj Artists), Lajpat Nagar,
The Haditha Massacre 2006, a live performance, at Private T. Larech House, Lajpat Nagar,
Object Adoring My Room ( The Pharah Tomb)-1996, at Kodhahora Reef
White Flag-1986, a live performance at Anano,