SANDARBH ARTISTS WORKSHOPS

Juanan's filmy days and cheesy nights

2012-01-27T07:45:00.000-08:00

It all started with this conversation between Ha ha (Chintan - Indian) and Ja ja (Spanish - Juanan) during Sandarbh 2012

Ha ha: hi

how are you?

Ja ja: Hi, fine

everything is good

and you?

Ha ha: i am good too bit busy though

how is your time in partapur?

Ja ja: is great

I'm enjoing a lot

very interesting around here

Ha ha:: u sentme a mail

Lots of inspiration

Ja ja: yes

Ha ha: have u decided any work?

Ja ja: yes

Ha ha : wow

what tell me

i am curious to know

Ja ja: I'm making traditionalchesse from the Basque country

north Spain

Ha ha : what is that?

Ja ja: with camel milk

traditional chesse from my place of origing

Ha ha : coooooooooooooool

amazing

Ja ja: yes, I'm very exited

Ha ha : you made me curious now

how will you make it?

how did you come to this idea?

Ja ja: I am getting thetraditional recipie

and replacing the goat milk with the camelmilk

Ha ha : is it a spacial cheez?

Ja ja: basically this cheese ismade with the milk of this specific goat from the basque country

now they are trying to mass produce it

Ha ha : do you think you canmake it in camel milk as i know camel milk spoil very fast.

Ja ja: but they can because thereare no many of this type of goat

Ha ha : ok

Ja ja: yes I think I'll beable....I mean is a try or fail

They are trying to replace this goats with other type that is like a cow

Ha ha: ohh tomass produce?

or they are genetically modified goats?

Ja ja: I still researching

Ha ha: ok. whendo u think you will be able to produce the chees?

Ja ja: I'll be finishing withthe the mix and the processes in a week. later on the cheese needs to

stay in the fridge for 50 days

Iam thinking about other work once the cheese is producing

Ha ha: 50days?

Ja ja: I need to find oneingredient

somecoagulant like rennet

and after I am ready to star

Ha ha: ok

Ja ja: here there is no muchtradtion, so I may need to go to Delhito get that

Ha ha: if youwant anything spacial let me know i will send it from delhi

Ja ja: OK, I let you know Ifound a few places and I am calling them

great

Iam enjoing the people, panipuri,chai

peoplespeak to me in the streert

also,I though about the idea talking to Shreyas

whenhe told me about people some time drink camel milk

Ha ha: verygood

Ja ja: so I wanted to try

then everything about the cheese started

Ha ha: hahaha

u r cheesy guy

Ja ja: ja ja ja

I think because in Europe there are notCamel, I never thought about drinking

their milk...was

very shocking.....but interesting experience to have

ya and more interesting is the cheese

yeahhh ja ja ja

Due to the absence of rennet, Juanan’s project camel cheese was in danger before cominginto existence. This hunt took him through fewmails, many calls and not to forget the long hours on Internet.

While he was waiting for his rennet, he thought of planninghis trip after the residency,and everyday we saw him in his office with scribbles of tourplans and his filmy days and cheesy nights.

But one evening the police came at 5 for him, for they sawhim driving the local auto, take passengers from Partapur to Garhi. They had doubts of him not having a legal license, but Juanan (ourhero of the story) was clever and despite of the injured knee managed to runaway from the police.

In the end he gets caught and decides to get back with hiscamel cheese. He gets the local version of rennet, and the cheese started. Though it didn't worked out his way but he gave us the traditional recipe.

Juanan is free now for his all India tour and is going to live happily everafter.

His 2 films have been projected in the balconyof BLVS office - a free screening.

The long hours made it Juanan's office

The camel milk transforming into cheese

Artist and his cheese

The camel cheese basking in the sun

......melts into water

The only survivor

Working while searching for rennet

...hard work

The escape

Happy ending

Movie time

The crowd

Open air theatre

Closing stages

2012-01-24T21:35:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency at Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

Julien’s tree is taking time to fly on its own. Its 10 amnow, and Julien along with all the muscle help available has left for the sitesince 8.30am. Though yesterdays’ manual help was not sufficient, today we hadthe JCB. The latest update is that the tree is finally standing in the groovebut needs more depth to be fixed.

So while everyone was thinking of Julien, Alexandra callsfor help, for her work display at the banyan tree was in danger, even beforeshe could open it for the public. We had to rescue her from the kids around,from becoming Tarzans and hanging next to her colorful stuffed objects on theroots of the tree.

Hyunji’s dark room had her works displayed, to be seenthrough thin streaks of light. We also saw her Partapur spring collection,using the local textiles, which is to be further continued in South Korea.Check the designs and mail to Sandarbh for further enquiry.

The closing stages are near, and the working space seems tobe empty. The artists are eventfully leaving. The three worthy knights,Dharmendra, Sudheer and Satyendra (artists from Mumbai) (volunteers) of this year Sandarbh have lefttoday with Ofri and Julien for Delhi.Apart from being of assistance to the artists they have managed to worksomething for their own.
Hoping to see them again at Sandarbh.

The tree with supports

....The muscle power

More digging

The tree team

...Finally!!!

Alexandra's site

The Tarzan kids, with the work

The stuffed objects

Hyunji's room no.1

Room no. 2

The Partapuri spring summer collection by Hyunji

.....some more

The yellow Satyendra

Dharmendra with his blue path

The blue road

THE NEVER ENDING WORK AT THE END OF THE DAYS

2012-01-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency at Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

Sandarbh days are now moving at a super fast speed.

Alexandra and Cornelia are back from the short trip to Udaipur, with a muchwanted beautiful tan (and an unwanted stomach disorder). Also Ann is back.

Ever heard of a life style museum, where people take theinitiative of lending their objects associated with their culture and traditionand maintains it. Natawada is one such village, and served to be the perfectsite for Bindu’s swing.Along with the super excited kids, we saw overwhelmedteachers for selecting their school over the rest.

22^nd was an emotional send off for Bindu.

Ofri’s Showcase is overcrowded with people and theirobjects. She is in a dilemma to be happy on such a constructive support or tobe sad on the time limitation, for she has to close her shop today and peopleare still getting objects for her. Today 2 pm was Artists’ visit at Showcase.

The tea shop owner in front of Showcase was energized allthrough out for it was a good business time for him. He got new shelves andcemented the floor. Ofri is now all packed up with her luggage and her showcaseobjects for Delhi.

Julien is almost done with his work, the 20 mtrs, long tree trunk with numerable wings. Some more wings need to be added to makeit fly. May be we will see more of Julien in the coming months…

Our cheese man Juanan, from Spain is busy filming/following thegoats, kids, kites and whatever is accessible to him. His search forrennet and the project camel cheese has taken a new turn, and again the hopes to see and taste the cheese are rising.

A busy day tomorrow, with Hunji’s display in her room, andAlexandra’s display in the morning at the Banyan tree.

The artist with the expert (Ashok ji) for the installation

The 1st ride

Enjoy!!!!

......and more

Showcase at the beginning

The display in process

More objects for the showcase

We have visitors.....

.......some more

The display today

The artists in showcase at 2pm

Careful observation....

This is just the beginning of following

The long long tree of Julien

....with some wings

.....Mid way

The Artist who pictured 36 Kms

2012-01-18T04:58:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency at Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

The early morning at the Partapur new bus stand saw some newfaces. It looked different. It seemed more like Fabian’s workspace than the usual one. Fabien was all set to display his works. His drive of the 36 kms fromBanswada to Partapur was captured through his camera on his En-field.

He has been living in India for more than 7 years, andlistening to his fluent hindi, it seems like he has become one of us. His workhere was a continuation of the previous projects he has worked on and was a time divisionbetween the traveling/ photography on his bike, the editing part in his roomand the printing at the studio, but displaying the prints at the site addedanother dimension to it. Though itwas more of a site-specific work, but definitely generated curiosity among thepassers by.

After the successful documentation and lot of press coverage, our biker is now off to Mumbai.

Alexandra and Corneliea are taking a short break in Udaipurfor 3 days. While having lunch in the balcony (their usual place to sit forfood) we really missed them, especially their laughter,which was like a background score for our everyday chaos.

Our Jungle boy (Julien) is now back from Udaipur, and isworking long time at the Sandarbh studio with the old oil drums. He has had achampi maalish (head massage) at the barbershop in the morning, which turnedout to be quite a ferocious one (thanks to Bindu, for explaining the barber inhindi), and my have filled him with loads of energy.

Juanan, is cooking a soup for us today, and he has made sure that each one of us is contributing to it.

Waiting for the soupy dinner !!!

The preperations

The volunteers helping

The sticker man

Documenting time

The travelogue

The bus stand with the new set up

Is that me there......?

Fabien with the PSP college crowd

The PSP college having a look at the work

Julien's flower (made out of old oil drums)

Ofri's new kite courier service

2012-01-15T22:28:00.001-08:00

The afternoon had no electricity and lochan made sure to utilize this time in buying kites and dhaga (thread) for the next day. While explaining to Ofri and Alexandra of what Makar Sankrant is, the talks traveled from lunar calendars to the communities following them, apart from the Jewish(told by Ofri) and the Hindus.

The next day saw each one of us on the terrace. We had some loud local music, various kind of til patti (sweet made of sesame seeds), innumerable kites and loads of fun spirit. Ofri was being given practice by Lochan from the day before and she tried using it on the D-day. Our biker Fabien too tried driving some kites. Don’t know of how high it went but the spirit was really high. Alexandra, Valerie and Cornelia could not help themselves but to move with the music. After the noon break, the evening took us again to the terrace with new set of filmy kites, but the most efficient one was with Anna Hazare image.

Tired and tanned, post dinner we escaped to the basement theatre for a movie.

Ofri is quite ready with her ‘showcase’ shop. Her long search to the kabaadivalas for some old shelves took her to the old and ruined palace of Garhi, and she has managed to get some old and antique wooden shelves. Her shop’s opening is going to be in a day, and her plans for publicity have no ends. Apart from her door-to-door invitations she couldn’t have left the chance of using kites on 14^th as a free of charge courier service. Moreover she even got Veg ( Yatin Upadhyay’s son) as her PR (publicity representative) to help her. Well we did actually lost a lot of kites (giving the excuse of Ofri)

Planning with the few school visits, she has started getting her objects from the people, and I guess very soon she will be displaying them in her “showcase”.

The practice getting a success

Driving the kite

The photographer

Taking a break,to get back again

Sun dance

Lunch on terrace

Ofri's colorful invitation

The cute PR

.....and there goes the kite

Arranging the shelves

Inviting the public

.......and more

Guptaji (fabric shop owner) giving his antique sword

Ofri at the school getting more viewers

Reading the invitation

Mission In-possible

2012-01-12T05:41:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency at Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

It seems like anything and everything is possible inPartapur. If you want a sewing machine, you get a well-equipped tailor shop,with assistants ready for help, ask Alexandra. If it takes 5 days to get thebaked pots, you may get it here in a day, ask Cornelia. But our woodsman,Julien was really impressed when he asked for a dry tree and our resourcefulYadav ji took him to the forest guy Mr. Bahadur Singh Ranger/forest officer fora wide variety. Mr. Forest guy was in a mood to show his ‘portfolio’ of theanimals he has dealt with and he definitely was successful in making an impressionon our woodsman. I guess now we will see more of Julien in the forest.

In the evening Cornelia entered the office boasting with herleft hand covered with beautiful mehndi (heena). Presuming it to be quick, shewas quite tired with this 2-hour session for the next day was an early startfor her, Bindu and Alexandra, for their expedition to Bhagora – a village knownfor its pottery. Cornelia is planning to work on earthen pots, with a design ofher own, which eventually will be used as light pots for her prints to sit on.

Bindu acted, as the much needed translator for her. Sheherself is concerned with the rich culture of the tribal community, which ispassed on to next generations. Taking the reference from the jewelry as amedium she is designing a swing for the school kids.

The initial struggle to remember each other’s names ispretty much over now. We call each other now with the right name and prettymuch right pronunciation. But it’s still difficult to call Juanan the way hespeaks. Spanish pronunciations I must say, and it not just us, but we got toknow that he has got too many names here. Ofri was a bit confused for when shewas asked for gunan and other time Onan. Thankfully he is a chilled out guy andresponds to every possible pronunciation. The artists are becoming quiteexcited with the idea of wearing the chef’s cap. The recipes are gettingimprovised as per the available ingredients and we are searching the net forthe Indian substitutes for the foreign masalas.

The bending of the swing - Bindu

The technical talk

The designer pots

Checking the pots

The woodsman with the forest guy

Julien with his tree

Weaving the cheesy chase !!

2012-01-11T00:28:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency at Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

It’s been 5 days and Juanan and me are busy googling for alist of numbers to get rennet for his camel milk cheese project. I reallywonder if he ever thought of making cheese would be so cheesy.

Juanan’s project of making cheese with the camel milk hasbeen a recent fascination of him with the idea of ephemeral art. He feels thatbeing a film maker/artist; it is quite a challenge for him to work on somethingthat cannot last for long. Although short lived, but he feels the idea goesdeep down to politics of mass production. I hope we get a piece of his art!!

As per the plans, Valerie just got over with her weaving ata public area, at the cross road, but is still under the spell of it. Lookingat the inquisitiveness, and the support of the people, she felt overwhelmedwith the entire experience.

The windy afternoon, on the terrace made us bathe in the sunand after having the Maggie feast in the evening, Ofri is inspired to cook andhopefully we are going to see some Mediterranean cuisine very soon! A benefitof having an international residency.

Our biker Fabien has traveled all the way from Mumbai onhis big and iconic Royal Enfield to Partapur and has just finished with his dailytours to Banswada. He is thrilled with the intensity of traveling that takesplace in India and is busy clicking, scanning and printing a picturesquetravelogue. He’s got some prints for us to have a look after the dinner and weall poured our suggestion. I hope it was helpful.

Julien’s hunt for the tree block has taken a new turn, forthe tree belongs to somebody in the village, hopefully our ‘help in crisis man-Yadav ji’ might make it available to him.

Yesterday ended with the gulabjamuns (an indian sweet ) and the last, long awaited presentation of Hyunji and a movie at our new cozy theatre in the basement, with luxury of mattresses and blankets.

Busy weaving

Active participation

The curiosity has begun

juanan busy googling

The biker on his way (Fabien)

At the photo studio in Banswada

Busy editing the images at the photo studio

explaining us.....

Julien - the wood man

The designer tree.....the search is on..

Alexandra warming her work on the terrace

The shop business

2012-01-09T21:36:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency at Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

We wanted the artists to chill out at Sandarbhbut I guess, they are instead chilled by the cold weather. Juanan’s pinktablets are in demand, and hopefully helpful in recovery.

It’s great to see the artists adjusting theirschedules in between the long power cuts, in fact all of us are, and no wonderthat the BLVS clown theatre group could not resist them from a performanceaddressing these issues.

All of us were on the streets and the only wordsaudible apart from the performance were ‘Hu Thyu? (What Happened?)’. Curiositycan be canalized.

It’s been some days and thecold weather is definitely giving some misty ideas, for the artists can be seenroaming in and around the market for some clarity.

This time I guess the artists are quiteimpresses by the shop business and 3 shops have already been rentedand are getting tailored by our new ‘international tailors’.

Ofri has rented a shop near, the governmenthospital and is looking out for compartments to make her own gallery of objects(given by the people here). She is occupied interacting with the locals andcollecting stories/objects that belong here.

Alexandra has chosen a shop near a tailor and isbusy tailoring her shop. Her work involves cloth as an essential medium, and isthrilled to visit the markets, collecting the clothes/ saris that are typicalof this place.

Another shop owner is Conelia, but isstill thinking...........

Valerie has been occupied inweaving her own world. She has done some pieces on the terrace soaking in the sun,and is now planning to interweave with the people here bytaking her small portable loom to Gandhi ashram, another place inPartapur, where the looms are working.

The days are involved with a lot of activities,artists working out in designing project and the evenings are being spent inthe balconies with ‘smoky’ talks and the new materials and experiences atdisplay. And dinners, some time experimental, especially when the artistsdecide to wear the chef’s cap, yesterday was Alexandra turn.

The clown with the goggles!!

Catching the attention..

Alexandra at her shop

Tagging the Shop with the visitors' name

The weavers

Valerie at her weaving studio

Weaving in every possible direction

Cornelia's shop

The transformed Ofri

Ofri's shop (complementary tea shop, i guess)

The blues

The new chef !

A helping hand (Cornelia)

2012-01-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency

At Partapur- Banswara Rajasthan

Organized by - Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan

Curated by- Geetanjali Dang

Participating Artists
Juanan Eguiguren
Hyunji Cho
Hubert Neal, Jr.
Ofri Lapid
Bindu Mehra
Fabien Charuau
Cornelia Rößler
Alexandra Deutsch
Valérie Maniglier
Julien Segard

Artist with volunteers

Sandarbh started with its 9^th internationalartists residency from 27^th december to 27^th January 2012.And whats better than a new year party to start sandarbh.

The warm up talk

All set to go

The initial 2-3 days were occupied with the local tours of the places in and around partapur. The sunny long walks covered the market, studio and the site of the new BLVS office, the river side temple of Parsulia, the Arthuna temple.
And the nights indulged everyone in long talks, adding the thrill in the chill.

The new site for BLVS office

Posing for the picture
(l-r : Hyungi, Cornelia & Alexandra

Parsulia

At Parsulia river side

At the stone carvers

Sandarbh Studio

Ram Kund - cave tample

Lunch time at Arthuna

Temples at Arthuna

Engrossed in a talk (Arthuna)

Marble mines at Umraai village

It was hard for the artists to escape from the variations in the traditional food. two such delicious and flavorsome experiences were at the dinner of Dal baati , churma and ghein at the Upadhyays!

Daal baati, churma, ghein and salad

The grand dinner

and the another was a gifted treat of daal, chatni and makke ki roti given to the artists by the local people having a picnic at Bheem kund.

The people at picnic

Relishing the Indian spices

It was the 31^st December, and thevolunteers were busy tranforming the raw and unleveled farm house of Madkola,our adda for the new year party into the action packed dance floor. The list ofessentials was being made starting with a techno light bar, a desi barbeque,spicy pakodas and unlimited music to burn the dusty dance floor (thanks to Shreyas, our dj of the night).

The bar is open!!!!!

The 'view'

the desi barbeque

Suresh with his pakodas

its just the beginning ...

The mumbaiya tadka group..

The party saw some grooveymoves from the artists for hours and the artist group from mumbai adding thetadka to it. The tierd crowdeventually started surrendering to either sleep or the warm bon-fire. Not toforget the songs of shreyas,chintan and Suresh with a plate of food in hishand giving him the strength of non stop comedy supply at 2 in the morning.Finally chintan’s plan of riverside walk was crushed by everyone moving towardsthe vehicles to go to their abode

dance..dance..

The bonfire

The 1^st night of January was a chilling presentationof Sandarbh by Shreyas on the terrace, introducing the artists with kind ofworks sandarbh has handeled till now, and its sure that the artists will sooncatch the cold of the presentation and will start with their process ofinvolvement. It wasn’t just the town getting exposed to the artists but theartists also got introduced with the town through the media.The local newschannel P B Patrika was interested in interviewing the artists and questionedthem about their first -hand experience of visiting India and partapur andtelecasted it on the first night of New Year. The TV room was floodedwith artists and everyone was waiting anxiously for their turn to come. Thenews channel will be covering more as the artists will start with their works.

The anxious wait

chilling out for the presentation

2010-12-29T21:22:00.001-08:00

SANDARBH International Artists Residency
At Partapur- Banswara
Supported by - Beneshwer Lok vikas Sansthan

Participate Artist

1 Horvath Zoltan
2.Arantxa Echarte
3.Shantamani
4.Szigwti Gabor Csongor
5.Christian Rothmann
6.Hubertus Hess
7.Christoph storze
8.Bibiana Crespo
9.Mircea Lacatus

Christian Rothmann

Site - Partapur

Action

2010-10-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

Sandarbh Nature Art Workshop

Dated - 20 Oct. to 30 Oct. 2010
At Luhari Coplex, Luhari Village ,Silvassa(DNH)
Supported by - Tourism Department Silvassa (DNH)
Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan, Partapur- Banswara (Rajasthan)

At Luhari forest resort in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, UT, a set of young artists are seen charged with a new experience. They are here for Sandarbh Nature Workshop, this year held away from its regular platform at Partapur in Rajasthan. The artists have come from different parts of India, most of them participating in such a workshop for the first time in their creative life. The age group ranges from 21 to 46 and if anybody asks for gender balance, yes here they are, nine women artists and seven male artists. And many more volunteers. This time artist Somu Desai has taken the helm at his hands. Silvaasa is his home turf and he plays it well here.

ANIL TAMBAI
Title- factory outlet
Site – Luhari Village
The spread of industries in the countryside is a common practice these days. The land is bought forms the local inhabitants and new industrial facilities replaces the natural environment. The intrusion of commerce and consumerism in the life of the natives is addressed in the work. The barcode show the commercialization of the land in our society, where everything can be bought and sold.

Visit also
http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010/11/factory-outlet-barcodes-of-anil-thambai.html

JAYANT JADHAV
Title-SANDARBH
Site - Luhari Tourist Complex
The kind of relation shared by the artist with the insects and organism, finds a plethora of colorful stories. It inspires him to create new situations and narrative structures to further fantasize this human and nature relationship. The small unknown insects are photographed in different situations to give an idea of a journey which may lead to new stories.

JINSON JOSEPH
Title- eco-scribbling
Site – Pimary School , Luhari Village
The work is done with the help of the students in the school. By making use of the materials (bamboo and hay) available in the village Jinson creates the form of an elephant in front of the school. The form is intentionally distorted as he didn’t wanted to give the impression of an actual elephant, as he says “the kids can very well see the image of an elephant in the books, but they should also understand the artistic ways of visualizing it”. The installation is an alternative understanding which goes beyond our formal education in the structured academic institution.

Also visit
http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010/11/e-for-elephant-and-e-for-erasingerasure.html

MEDHA PRABHAKAR
Title- Totem pole
Site – Luhari Village
Medha visualized her work form the immediate surroundings of the village. Considering the harvesting session she came up with a totem pole, which celebrates the fertility and generative power of the nature. She intended a form of a condom, which inhibits the natural process of fertilization. But the creative potential of nature is unstoppable, even if it is under the pressure of destruction. Nature finds its ways to recreate itself.

Also visit - http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010/11/rocks-and-roses-medha-prabhakars-wall.html

MITHU JOARDAR
Site - Luhari Tourist Complex
The performance shows the marriage preparation and procession. In certain tribal customs tree is understood as the bridegroom with whom the daughter is married. Taking the reference from such ritual practices Mithu reestablishes the connection of our life to nature.

PRIYANKA GOVIL
Title- Arvin
Site – Luhari Village
Mud mixed with cow dung is used in many villages for smearing the floors and walls. The practical necessity of the technique is of keeping the houses cool. Smearing the tree with mud and cow dung has certain similar context of cooling and medicating it. With the help of additional fencing Priyanka creates protection for the tree. The title is derived from the name of a boy who helped Priyanka in the process of making the work, where one of the boys wrote his name on the fencing using coloured pencil.

Also Visit - http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010/11/story-of-tree-ethics-of-intervention-by.html

PARIBARTANA MOHANTY
Title- Again Misinterpreted
Paribartana conceptualizes his whole experiences of the workshop and came up with a performance. The performance entails reading texts which he has prepared all through the period of his participation in the workshop. Discussing and sharing various aspect of nature, as well as how we understand and distort it. The performance evocates crucial ideas related to human and nature relationship.

Also Visit- http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html

SMRUTI DIXIT
Title- Hun
The work developed as a search of the “self” in the nature/surrounding. The work entails plantation of garden plants (crotons) in between densely growing wild grasses and plants. The humanizing aspect of every individual to redesign and relate to the surrounding space is brought forth in the work. The relation that we used to share with our surrounding constructs our nature and behavior.

SUKESAN K. KANKA
Title- Buried worried
The iconic display of the tomb in between the garden shows the death of the nature. The damages caused by humans to the environment have its consequences, which is a matter of anxiety. The work reflects the cause and effect of human action. The duality of our action and the guilt and repentance which is attached to it is the underplaying issue addressed in the work.

Also Visit - http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010/11/requiem-for-nature-sukesan-kanka-earth.html

VAIBHAV SHARMA

Human intrusion in nature can be seen from a long time. As animals can be traced in jungle through their foot prints; similarly humans can also be traced through their byproducts, which they leave behind. The non degradable residues of the human development in the form of plastics and other pollutant are defacing the beauty of nature. There won’t be time too far when the whole earth will be just left behind with these traces.

Also Visit
http://johnyml.blogspot.com/2010/11/foot-prints-of-culture-vaibhav-sharma.html

A collaborative work by Lochan U. & Shilpa Rangnekar

Title- Archiving the specimens of human existence

Murali Cheeroth
Performance - A T M ( Automatic telling machine )
Site Luhari Complex

Abhijeet Tamhane - Mumbai
Site - Luhari Village

Amol Patil - Mumbai
Site - Luhari Village

Neha Narayan - Delhi
Site - Luhari Village

Pari Baishya - Delhi

Rucha Mehta - Thane
Site - Luhai Village

Somu Desai
Site - Luhari Complex

Ronak Jadav - Udavada

Action During workshop

Artist Sheela Gowda and Archana Handey at artist site

Art Critic Johny ML with the artist at Jinson Joseph site

Intreaction by Abhijeet Tamhane (Art Critic - Mumbai ) During workshop

Artist Yashwant Deshmukh and Archana Handey visiting local fair at Luhari village during workshop

Open day - Sandarbh Nature art Workshop

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Abhijeet Tamhane art critic form Mumbai express his views after a day visit to Sandarbh 2010, Luhari Silvassa.

Luhari, Oct. 24, 2010.
2.43 PM

‘In a lobby of some museum of contemporary art, if our eyes are encountered with a sight of a ladder , what we do first ids we look around. We make sure that there is a repair or painting work going on there. If the ladder belongs to workmen, we are free to ignore it. If it is not, we feel we should not ignore”

These words, a passing remark by Sudheer Patwardhan, are worthy of being in the public domain, with all due respect to him. However, when Ii had written the long interview(for a Marathi Annual Magazine in 1999) I chose to exclude this passing remark, thinking that it was not important in the flow of the interview.

Today, at Luhari, my exclusion seems to haunt me through the Luhari forest, where I am an observer-participant, though for a small time.

As I look at the only manmade pit on the Luhari forest resort lawns, I get conscious that I may not be “free to ignore it”—it may not be one of the 11+1 participants at Sandarbh 2010, but what if it is?

The politics of ignoring and being curious of sights/sites has hit me hard, thanks to the pit that did not belong to any artists vision. As it was all the participant artists and volunteers here, asking me unanimously, what do we ignore and why?
Do we ignore nature when we see it as a “landscape”? Do we ignore farmer’s work as if it is NOT land art? Even if he does it differently, takes pride in it, wants people to ask questions, and eventually to follow what he does?

Workshops like Sandarbh, (workshops that put artists to encounter with nature and a primarily agrarian community that has long been a custodian of that nature), might have been a moment of questions similar to mine, and maybe I came late. These are moment of overcoming the epistemological barriers that have vexed the “Art Public” like an occupational hazard.

Abhijeet Tamhane
Mumbai

Sukesan K. Kanka

Title- landscape on table

Sukesan’s installation landscape on table emerged as an idea of having lunch in nature. A table covered with ferns, installed between a series of dining tables. The mass of ferns are given a little touch where ever required to relate to a landscape. Divided from nature, he tries to bring forth the nostalgia and preconceptions of nature, which urban dweller have in their mind about nature.
On a deeper level the work evokes the adaptation and presentation of nature by the nature enthusiasts. The subtle satire on eco-tourism, Nature Park and nature resorts are part of the work. The presentation of nature as a product to the consumer is a latest phenomenon in the urban societies, where travel packages are found not only for the pilgrimage centers but also to forests, wild life centuries and hinterlands. Thought the installation of Sukesan is not consumable but the presentation shows the clinical manipulation of the wild and unknown facets of nature into tamable consumer products and experiences that can be acquired or gathered. Installation on the dining table shows the processing (cooking) of the various ingredients to be served during meals. Similarly nature is only understood from the laboratory table from scientific discoveries, media broadcasts and some other activities. The relation of human and nature in urban life is already dismantled.

Sukesan working on his installation.

Vaibhav colleting materials including bamboo, wood and bushes for installation

Participants visiting lion safari near Silvassa.

Display of the portrait sessions.

Artists doing quick portraits with fellow participant as model.

Sandarbh with a decade long history in site specific, experimental and community based collaborative art practices has come up with its first nature Sandarbh from 20^th to 30^th October in Silvassa. Nature Sandarbh is a unique initiative in the history of Sandarbh as it evocates and revitalize the missing link between the artist and nature. Nature being the inspiration to various art and artist is evident throughout history. It may be the dance, music, engraving of the tribal societies or the landscape paintings, nature take various forms to satisfy the artistic inspiration and creation.

The organizers of Sandarbh this time came up with a specific theme The Nature and the Artist. The extension of art into nature is conceived as a vibrant dialogue leading to our understanding about nature and our society. How we understand, assimilate, alter and co-exist with nature. Talking to one of the artist and organizing member of Sandarbh Somu Desai, the conception of nature art workshop and idea of bringing Sandarbh to Silvassa is made clear.

Sandarbh in Silvaasa: I want to create platforms for small town art students

Interview with Somu Desai

Ritesh Panda: Somu, you have been active as an artist and activist in Silvassa for a long time. Could you please tell us how you happened to be in Silvassa and decided to make it as your turf?

Somu Desai: Silvassa is a Union Territory and geographically it is a part of the South Gujarat region. Silvassa is famous for its forests. Many people come to this place as a part of their vacationing in Daman, which lies a few kilometers across Silvassa. In this region there are a lot of traditional art forms like Warli painters and Tharpa dancers.

During my college days I used to come to this forest area to do my trekking and sketching. Slowly I developed friendship with the officers here. Many of them come on deputation posts from Delhi and they have been generally interested in art. I live in Killa Pardi, a few kilometers from here. Once I became friendly with these officers, I started coming to this area quite regularly.

A few years back, in one of meetings with these officers, I suggested how Silvaasa could become a major attraction in India’s art and culture map. We have a lot of forests and natural beauty. We have three forests resorts here. Why don’t we get artists from cities here? Initially it was difficult to convince the officers. So I went on to do some art workshops in and around these areas with the students from B.A Mehta Kala Mahavidyalaya, Amalsad and Fine Arts College, Amalsad. Slowly Silvassa became an attraction for many young artists and art students.

Ritesh Panda: Could you please talk about your educational background and other activities?

Somu Desai: I studied in B.A Kala Mahavidyalaya, Amalsad. As in most of the small town fine art colleges, here too the students were trained to become designers and workers in the flourishing textile industry in South Gujarat. Students were not exposed to contemporary art or gallery systems or anything. As I used to visit Bombay quite regularly, during my college days, I could see a lot of art. After graduating, I went to Bombay to become an artist. But you know, with a degree from a small town college and no patrons around, it was difficult to survive. So I started working as a designer. I could have gone into my family business. But somehow I wanted to live an artist’s life. So after almost a decade, I decided to go to Baroda and live there.

Ritesh Panda: Apart from working as a designer, what were your activities during those ten years of obscurity?

Somu Desai: I never left my friends in Pardi and Silvassa. I made trips between Silvassa and Bombay and in the meanwhile the officers were alerted to do some public art projects. I got the commission to do a few sculptures in and around Silvassa. It gave me a lot of confidence. But I did not have the right situations to stay back in South Gujarat and work. There were no friends with whom I could talk on art. It was frustrating. I am talking about the late 1990s.

Ritesh Panda: How did you find a way out?

Somu Desai: I went back to my college, tried to get students to work with me. My friend Akshay Naik, who is a professor in my college, has always been very supportive. He encouraged the students to work with me. But the students were not ready to take a plunge. They couldn’t think on their own. They were all thinking about a career in the textile mills. None was thinking about going to JJ School or Baroda or Delhi to pursue higher studies.

Ritesh Panda: And you decided to do it all alone?

Somu Desai: My decision to go to Baroda was a sort of symbolic move. I was already in my mid thirties and I did not want to join the college to do pursue a post graduation. But I knew that Baroda was the place where a lot of artists live and work. It is the place where you could find a lot of fresh and vibrant minds. So I shifted to Baroda and set up my studio there. Soon my studio became a meeting place for several artists and young students. Actually, I was learning a lot through my association with these friends.

But then again and again you had to face this issue: you are coming from a small town college so you are not so great. After ten to twelve years of experience in working as a designer and artist, here you are again thrown back to the position of a student. But I worked along with the youngsters and seniors alike. Many of them were skeptical about my moves but soon I could convince them that I was there for learning and improving and eventually proving my mettle to myself.

Ritesh Panda: Now you are with all the artists. Many people look up to you for support and guidance. How did it all happen?

Somu Desai: In 2007 I was in Baroda. Then I came to know about Sandarbh happening in Partapur. A few friends were going and I joined them as I was interested in nature oriented public art. I had already traveled in Bastar and worked with certain NGOs working with the local artists and artisans. In Partapur, I thought, I could extend my activities in a new location.

I should say, 2007 was a life changing year for me. In Partapur, I met JohnyML, art critic and curator. I had already read of articles written by him and I was already a fan of his writings even without knowing him in person. Initially, it was difficult to warm up towards each other but soon we shared a few cigarettes and became friends. Meeting JohnyML was really a turning point in my life. I was a volunteer in Sandarbh and he was a visitor. But by the end of Sandarbh, we had already decided to couple of interesting workshops in Silvassa. Meeting Chintan Upadhyay in Partapur was the beginning of another great friendship.

Ritesh Panda: Then why did you leave Baroda?

Somu Desai: My decision of leaving Baroda came as a shock as certain chain of ill happening took place in my family. Despite my interest to stay back in Baroda has to be reviewed and I had to take a firm stand in order to support my family and relations in Pardi. Leaving Baroda wasn’t a very tough decision to take because my family needed me and I have to choose my priorities.

Ritesh Panda: Pardi and Silvassa became your base and did it change the attitude of the local fine arts students?

Somu Desai: Akshay Naik and I myself invited JohnyML to give a talk in BA Kala Mahavidyalaya. He came and spoke to the students. He could not speak in fluent Hindi. However, in his broken Hindi he could convey what he really wanted from them. The students liked his presentation. He asked them to come out of their cocoons and fly to the big world. And interestingly many did. Today so many students from this region apply for higher studies in Baroda.

This visit was in a way historical, at least for me and my friends in this region. JohnyML proposed an idea of traveling across India and visiting the small town fine arts colleges. Soon we turned that idea into a reality. JohnyML spoke to the artists and well wishers and they supported us with funds. We traveled along the north India region and visited eighteen fine arts colleges and made a report. This report could be seen in www.artroutes.in. Photographer Feroze Babu from Kochi gave us pictorial and technical support. It was a great trip. And interestingly, the trip was concluded with a visit in the B.A Kala Mahavidyalaya, where the students gave us a great welcome.

Ritesh Panda: What are the other projects you did during that period?

Somu Desai: I did ‘Vibrant Gujarat’, the mural project in Baroda. It was conceptualized by JohnyML. The ‘Still in Baroda Thrill in Baroda’ sticker project was another exciting project that I did. I participated in Video Wednesdays @ Gallery Espace, New Delhi. Then I helped in bringing a lot of art camps to in and around Silvassa, Daman and Pardi. Today a few artists have planned to set up their studios in this region. I am also one of the directors of the artists residency program ‘the Zero Kilometer’ with JohnyML (www.zerokilometer.com)

Ritesh Panda: You are now the Director of Silvassa Art Gallery. Is it a government post?

Somu Desai: The building where now Silvassa Art Gallery works from was a court. I proposed the administration to develop it as a gallery. They renovated it and changed it into a gallery. I organized a few shows here and this gives an opportunity to the students and graduates from this region to exhibit their works. Also I presented Chintan Upadhayay rare and academic works here. I invited JohnyML to curated a video show, which he did early this year. Now I am the officiating director of the gallery. I don’t want to take any permanent posting as I want to be a full time artist and activist.

Ritesh Panda: How did Sandarbh come here?

Somu Desai: Chintan Upadhyay has been asking me to organize it in Silvassa for long time. I wanted to give it a new twist. I did not want it to happen just like another site specific workshop. I wanted it to be a nature workshop where artists could work in any medium, not just the site specific work. Even they can create sounds. They can act, perform and photograph. So I was preparing for that all these days. And today it is becoming a reality. I asked a few friends including critic JohnyML to suggest the names of the artists and they are all coming to work here. There will be established artists visiting during the workshop and doing performances and presentations.

And personally speaking, by doing Sandarbh here, I create an opportunity for the young art students here to come and volunteer themselves in the project and learn from the participating and visiting artists.

Workshop in action

Sandarbh workshop and residency started with the welcome meeting, with various participant from different part of India. Giving a brief introduction on the history of sandarbh Somu Desai announces the opening of the workshop.

Slide presentation on the national and international workshop and residency done by Sandarbh and BLVS.

Group of artists and volunteers hiking in and around the Luhari forest

Workshop opening music and party

2010-02-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Sandarbh Artist Residency At Partapur (Banswara)-Rajasthan-INDIA

Note:- 1 All residency Application are open from 1st Feb 2010.
2 For apply Send us your Biodata and five works Images

Please Send Your Application here - uyatin@gmail.com

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Sandarbh One month 2 Artist Residency
Date - 5 Aug to 31 Aug 2010
AT - Partapur

1. Himanshu Desai
2. Jasdeep Singh Arora

Rocking Vagad - A Heady mix off electronica, Video jocking and Vagadi folk Music

Groundbreaking community participation project

Produced by - Himanshu Desai and Jasdeep Singh Arora
Folk Artist - Shivnath Raval , Premnath Raval, Bansilal, Yatin (Lala) , Dancer- Hitesh Damore, Jayesh raval , Sound engineer - D.S.Yadav
Sandarbh Artists Concert was super success , sandarbh is flooded congratulation.Highlight of the concert were the children of the village (partapur) who danced on stage to 3 of the bands songs.

Community Art Project - Agrarian Graffiti

PAGLA JI Project - Temple Painting - Himanshu Desai, Ashok Singh Rajawat & Jasdeep Singh Arora

Makeshift Studio - Temporary Audio Recording Studio For Tribal and Folk Musicians - Setup by Himanshu Desai & Jasdeep Singh Arora.

Sandarbh One month 2 Artist Residency
Date - 1 july to 31 July 2010
AT - Partapur

1. Jonathan Trayner (U.K.)

For the hewers of wood and the drawers of water
2010, steel and wood

Replicas of pitchfork and bill-hook, from the German National Museum, Berlin, which were used by the Thuringian peasants during the German Peasants' War (1525CE)

Further information:

These two traditional European farming implements vary slightly from those that were and are used by Indian farmers yet their shape is basically familiar. The peasant farmers of Germany, whose tools these are replicas of, were revolting against the unjust government of the princes and out of necessity turned the tools of agriculture into weapons of war. The German peasants were defeated but the very fact that they were willing to question the authority of their masters was important for the future of Europe. The situation of the modern Indian farmer, like the tools, may be different in detail but the mechanisms of institutionalised social control are still present. The title of the work is taken from the Bible (Joshua 9:23) where the Israelites are given control over their enemies the Gibeonites. They, with God's blessing, turn the Gibeonites into their slaves; making them do the most menial jobs but those that are most necessary for the continuance of civilisation – cutting firewood and fetching water. In the history of European social revolution the oppressed often identified themselves with the slaves of the chosen people of God.

Say, you wretched, shabby bag of worms, who made you a prince over the people? Thomas Müntzer, leader of the Thuringian peasants in a letter to Count Ernest von Mansfeld

2. Mrugen , Baroda
Public Art Project

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Sandarbh One month 2 Artist Residency
Date - 25 Feb to 25 March 2010
AT - Partapur
Supported By - Bhupesh Kavadia -Udaipur
Organized by - BLVS - Partapur

1. Kriti Gupta ( Baroda )

Performance

Site - Natawada Village

2. Shilpa Rangnekar ( Baroda )

UNTITLED

Community work
Site : Partapur

During my one month stay at Partapur, i observed the strength of the cultural impact on people here. What interested me was the way this stock of culture is passed on from one generation to another, sometimes consciously and many a times subconsciously.
My intention through this work was to capture this subconscious process of transfer, where people unaware of their involvement become participants to may such day to day experiences. Also the performance dealt with the notion of the use and after effects of consuming a 'product'. I have tried to relate these two concerns and have arrived on this community work where i have struggled to make a jalebi (a very common and popular sweet ) in the form of the word 'sanskar'.
On the scheduled day, the sweet was distributed free to the customers who came to have nashta at the stall.
While documenting the entire process, i came across mixed reactions, where some people got fascinated with the new shape of jalebi with a readable word. Some were more interested with the free offer of a sweet. Some though had a problem with the use of the word 'sanskar' and people eating it, but they too couldn't resist themselves from having the 'sugar coated jalebi'.
What could be concluded out of the work, was the active participation of the people in consuming the sweet, irrespective of its size and shape. My intention here was not to propagate the concept of sanskar but to point out the unconscious approach towards life and its experiences.
This sugar coated sweet would not have been possibel without the help of Rajesh bhaai, who has a stall at the new bus station with the name Ratlami nastha centre.

2 Shilpa

UNTITLED
site: MADKOLA VILLAGE

This work is a further continuation of the previous work concerning the concept of Morals. I have always been fascinated to see how the existence of Sanskar is connected with the concept of a home. In an attempt to show this relativity, nothing could have been a better option than to construct a wall (part of a house) made of bricks with the word Sanskar ,embossed on it.
Using the old technique of clay as a binder, this wall has been constructed using unbaked bricks, in the interior, adjoining the wall of a house in Madkola.

3.NAKSHA
Site: Panchayat, Partapur

During my stay at Partapur, I was shocked to know that except for the Patvari (The government employee who looks after the record of the land in the village) very few people knew of how does the map of Partapur looks like. The only map with the Patvari was also a recent development.
This experience pushed me to make a map of this place (referring the one with the Patvari) in a way that could represent Partapur not just geographically but also through its essence.
I was also overwhelmed with the use of bright and colourful fabrics all throughout this region. Also the way a fabric, through its colour, print and material represents a community.
The NAKSHA is a piece of patchwork assembled with various fabrics representing Partapur.

2009-12-25T21:55:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH International Artist Residency
At -Partapur, BLVS
Dated 22 Dec. 2009 to 22 Jan. 2010

Participate Artist

Sr. Name of Artist
1. Akshay Rathod , New Delhi India
2. Camila Sol , Argentina
3. Gregory Thielker , USA
4. Sarah Olson , USA
5. Joseph Tasnadi ,Hungary
6. Alvaro Verduzco ,Mexico
7. Kim Sunhee ,Korea
8. Kim Young-IK , Korea
9. Jeong Song ,Korea
10. Rosamond , USA
11. Chintan upadhyay- INDIA
12.Peter Valyi - Hungary

Joseph Tasnadi ,Hungary

Title- Louds colours (Please Horn)

Kim Sunhee - Korea
Site - Partapur

no concept is my concept.see the pictue

Alvaro Verduzco - Mexico

TITLE- THERE AND BACK AGAIN
Site - Partapur

The title evokes going to a far away place and coming back. My experience in India deals with coming from the furthest country, Mexico and consequently going back to it. I thought of the Bugs bunny and other cartoons where the rabbit digs it way to the exact position in the other side of the world. The character can be in the US and end up in China. I geography, Mexico is in the exact opposite position to India, so it deals with an absurdity, a foolish dream but a humorous work. At the bottom of the hole I placed a mirror to reflect the sky, hence it appears as though the hole is twice as deep and the earth has been dug up to the other side of the world. The journey is complete.

Alvaro Verduzco - Mexico
TITLE: TEA DRAWINGS

The three drawings I created in Partapur are large scale drawings made out of tea stains. The look is abstract as there are no recognizable forms, however, the drawings are shapes and figures recognizable only in the immensity of the universe. The tea stains create shapes and forms resembling vast constellations, galaxies and planets as seen with the Hubble telescope or other super way to see the outter rings of our universe and thus ourselves.
The works deals with a simple, mundane and daily practice in the world- drinking tea- and how this simplicity can evoke and deal with very complex thoughts, the origins and infinity of our universe. I try to put this two concepts together to promote the idea of the important and relevant of a practice such as drinking tea as it deals with creating communications, culture and social networks in a world turned to the media and impersonal communications.

Camila Sol - Argentina

Title - EFIMERA

EFIMERA is a body of three works based on mandala designs executed as site specific projects. Efímera #1 was done in the terrace of our residency here in Partapur. I used round kitchen metal pans filled with blue anil water to trace a mandala. Like a ritual every day, I filled the pans with water to compensate for that which had evaporated. Time came to move this mandala to Morkola village and only a blue ephemeral trace was left in the terrace.

Again, I designed a second mandala with the same pans from my first work and filled them with more blue water. Set against the light brown soil and surrounded by green fields, Efimera #2 evolved into my first land art piece.

Chintan found for me the most spectacular site for my third work: a flat stone clearing in a dry riverbed where the view from the bridge above is breathtaking. For this particular mandala, I set off to the Bori village to have hand made one hundred and eight black clay pans of four different sizes. Most villages in rural India live in a time warp, and this was no exception. With the aid of a translator, the main potter, a woman and I agreed on a price and date of delivery. Initially, transportation of the finished plates to the river site was set to be on her two mules. Later, for practical reasons, it was decided to transport the plates on a rickshaw. The third mandala was traced with the plates and then filled with water from the Mahi river. I found a small Ganesha on the site along with a flower mala, and thus Efímera #3 had a small shrine of its own! Now the mandala is gone, plates are important and functional utensils in Indian families; basic needs come first and nothing is permanent, everything is ephemeral.

Chintan Upadhyay - INDIA
Performance - Vagad Chhai ( No Politic )
Site - Partapur

Gregory Thielker - USA

Roads they traveled
A site specific installation
January 16, 2010

Arthuna Temple
Arthuna, Rajasthan, India

During a month-long stay in India at the Sandarbh residency in
Partapur, I created a participatory project at the Arthuna temple
site, a protected Hindu temple dating from 1000 AD. Over the course of
two weeks, I interviewed visitors to the temple with the help of a
translator. Each visitor I spoke with created a drawing of text and
imagery that showed how he or she traveled to the temple to worship.

Forty of these drawings were then displayed on a site-specific
sculpture at the Arthuna temple site on January 16, 2010. The iron
sculpture consisted of a spiral rod supported by metal pillars and
allowed the drawings to be hung by string. Visitors were then able to
see the drawings and follow the rotation of the spiral, thus
perceiving the complex and varied ways that people experience their
journey to the temple site.

Kim yong ik (1947~) - korea

Title : the holy grail.
Genre: sculpture

The concept of my work is the nation of the holy grail.
As you know when hard times come, a nation of holy grail appears and they lead the world and overcome the adversity. It’s their holy duty.
At the end of the post-peak oil period, all oil based culture will collapse, and a new period will open.It will be a period of poverty, austenity, and recycling. Seeing indians’ humble life, frugality, sustainability,large population and advanced IT industry, I think that India has the possibility of becoming the holy grail nation.

Jung Song (1985~) - korea
Site - Madkola

Title : Mythical animal
Genre: sculpture

The concept of my work is the from korea traditional Mythical animal in temple
I collect color in partapur

Sarah Olson - USA
Site - Partapur
Performance Title: "World Without a Head - India"

"World Without a Head - India" is an ongoing performance project that I have staged in several venues in the New York City area often in collaboration with the Wendy Osserman Dance Company. The project speaks to the nature of our being 'headless' or thoughtless when it comes to our daily interaction with the very world that sustains us. World Without a Head India was very unique and my largest scale performance to date involving members of the local Rajasthani public. This performance addressed the role of women, both in America and in India, and how women hold up a community or the family, but aren't always recognized. Much in the way the planet sustains the activities of its inhabitants, women water, feed and help a community grow, but are frequently brushed aside or are underappreciated.

Upon my arrival, Chintan encouraged me to consider a large-scale performance in Partapur. While I incorporated some ideas from previous works, this performance was directly informed by the colors, the people, the sounds and the smells that surrounded me. I am indebted to Chintan, Dipti, Yatin, Lochan and Yadav along with the many Sandarbh volunteers for their constant attention to my project. Yadav and Dipti helped me involve several local women by walking around door to door and inviting them to participate. Yadav arranged meetings and appointments with schools and women's groups and organized several rehearsals. As a result, several hundred people attended and participated as the performance was staged in the open ground in Partapur. Yatin, Lochan and I worked to create a large, semicircle backdrop spanning the field that was lit from behind. Lochan and I collected "Cataran" or scraps from local tailors, who then took these scraps and helped us design my elaborate and rediculous bird-like costume.

I worked with cast shadows and paint from behind the backdrop, ultimately creating for the community a live painting throughout the performance. The performance began with some sixty local women and girls carrying candles in a large circle around the ground. Meanwhile, five women from Partapur entered center stage to sing three temple songs about Krishna and Radha. I emerged dressed as a bird or strange clown as the women lined up behind me. As the women continued to circle with candles, I began to paint on the backdrop. Yatin and Lochan also moved slowly behind the screen creating shadows for the audience. Later, twenty male dancers from the area performed the "Gair Dance", a tribal dance involving long sticks and a repetitive step set to drumming. The stage suddenly changed from being primarily women to almost entirely men. I felt this transition between all female to all male represented the stark division between sexes I frequently noticed in India and at times more subtly in the USA. My performance also reflected how awkward I felt in India at times, especially as a woman. As westerners in a rural village untouched by tourism, my fellow resident artists and I were constantly stared at. Though we were always greeted warmly, we were fascinating to the community there by both our gestures and our attire. This costume reflected my sense of displacement and how goofy I often felt. At the beginning of the performance I decided to stare back at the audience. Like a bird, I stared. l ran up to a couple of men without warning. I imitated the monkeys we would often see at temple sites, who stare and then suddenly charge you unexpectantly. As the "Geir" Dance began, I emerged to dance with my long paintbrush instead of a long stick. I then returned to the painting that now I infused with reds and oranges. As the music and became more aggressive, I began throwing whole buckets of paint, so that soon my painting resulted in variations of black and grey. The transition of the painting throughout the performance reflected the varying states of interaction not only between sexes, but also between cultures.

Rosamond - USA

Cotton shirt, henna.
On the back of this shirt is the text of Indian Penal Code Section 377, which outlawed sex between men. On the front are excerpts from the 2009 ruling repealing that portion of the law. Besides the obvious symbolism of the more conservative law being in the past, by using the female-identified henna, and when worn by the female artist, the piece also gestures towards the continued invisibility of lesbians and the tenuous position of transgender individuals in cultures and laws. The title refers to the ability to “dance” – to fully inhabit the temple of one’s body – and is also a playful reference to the futility of cultural prohibitions of any kind.

Rosamond - USA

“Primer: What a Girl Should Know”
Hand-made book; paper, thread.
This book represents some of the ways that the indoctrination of gender norms – which happens in all cultures – is enforced in India. The cover depicts a boy and a girl because all children are taught gender norms and rules. The pages are deconstructed from several children’s primers (textbooks) and from a woman’s magazine, and depict such varied information as times tables, how to write and read Hindi, how to cook, and how to raise children. The ideals of education, marriage, motherhood, glamour, and wealth, alternate in these pages.

Rosamond -USA

"Not-a-Blog January 2010"

Mail art; paper, cloth, thread.

Not-a-Blogs are an ongoing project in which RSK makes and mails art to a rotating list of people around the world. These pieces are meant to share her experiences and encourage human connection without the use of technology. Each Not-a-Blog in the January 2010 series contains a page from a religious text depicting a Hindu god which is sewn into a scrap of embroidered material, which is in turn sewn into an envelope made of paper table napkins. Each of the elements – the Hindu texts, the embroidery, the napkins – even the kite string with which many were bound – were produced in India. The beauty of the images and embroidery are juxtaposed with the crudeness of the artist’s stitching.

Rosamond - USA

“Dream Gifts”
Land art; paint.
Site - Mahi bridge, Agarpura
Hindi instructions were painted on stones near bodies of water. The instructions encourage those who stumble upon them to use water to draw or write their dreams on the stones. These representations evaporate, enabling us to interact with nature without damaging it. The symbolism of “Dream Gifts” draws on many sources. It is inspired by a Buddhist exercise in which one draws a picture with water on a stone and meditates as the water disappears. It is also inspired by the good fortune messages painted on many rural Rajasthani houses.

Rosamond

“EROS”
Installation; henna.

EROS is an installation of several mounds of henna. It was inspired by the following quote by Kirtana Kumar (from Cine Blitz magazine):
It is not that Hindi films can’t handle sex scenes; it’s just that we have developed a native, non-Western cinematic language with which to articulate sex and sexual arousal.
The henna mounds – which resemble many natural shapes, including dung heaps and women’s breasts – symbolize how different notions of eros can be read and misread. What is erotic to some can be banal or even disgusting to others. The piece also refers specifically to the eroticism of henna, which in India traditionally decorates women’s skin on wedding days and other celebratory occasions.

Akshay Rathod - New Delhi
Site - Partapur

Peter Valyi - Hungary

Site Specific at madkola Village

2009-12-14T09:23:00.000-08:00

Text Context: Contextualising art beyond its predetermined boundaries
on 10th December 2009 at the / at 6.00 pm

Hungarian University of Fine Arts Magyar Képzőművészeti Egyetem
The exhibition is organised with the collaboration of Sandarbh, SEGMENT and the Hungarian University of Fine Arts / Magyar Képzőművészeti Egyetem

A group show of Indian artists
Openimg hours /nyitva tartás
Monday Friday: 10 Am 6 Pm, Saturday: 10AM 1 PM.

The exhibition will continue till 20th January 2010
Hungarian University of Fine Arts / Magyar Képzőművészeti Egyetem
1062 Budapest Andrassy 69-71

2009-10-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

The action begins...
After a successful venture in 2007, Sandarbh returns to Baroda with a ten day sculpture workshop

Participating artists (standing from left to right) Abdul Haque.pm, Raghav Achary, Siddharth Kariwal, Prayas Abhinav, Madhu Das and Megha Joshi. (sitting from left to right) Biju Kumar G, Girijesh, Harshvardhan Kadam, Raghu A Wodeyar and Shally Mahajan Ganesh Urala is also participating in the workshop.

1. Megha Joshi
"Untitled" - Installation with Cotton

Megha Joshi has created a story from locally procured cotton. Creating an entire scene from the material, Megha has left the interpretation of it to the viewer. However, for her the challenge has been to work with an unfamiliar medium experimenting and moulding it to her needs.

2. Girjesh Kumar
"Tools to cut and share the Newton’s apple" - Table based installation

Girijesh projects violence by remodelling weapons and making them ineffective. Their ineffectiveness, highlights their original purpose.

3. Ganesh Urala
"Please leave you _ _ here" - Installation

Ganesh has used foot wear to illustrate how we leave our impressions on people we communicate with

4 Biju Kumar G.
"Un-waking" - Iron cot, mattress, transparencies and lamp

Biju’s work deals with the time gap between the conscious and the sub conscious. He has used the cot as a metaphor, to highlight the discomfort that one feels in this transition.

Biju Kumar G.
"Didn’t mean to…"- Ceramic and medical model

Biju has used a Ceramic toilet bowl as a metaphor for a torso. He was fascinated by the form of it and has tried to give it a life form. The destruction of the piece and the title ensures that the viewer can interpret the work in this own way.

5 Abdul Haque PM
"I have an idea, but …" - Found objects and balloons

Abdul Haque has always created imaginary objects through his art. He works with found objects, often merging different them, to invent a new one, though the viewer is certain about the imaginary nature of these ideas, one cant help but feel that there is that minute possibility that it could work. In this installation Abdul has tried to experiment with space. He has tried to capture an intangible element like air and give it a form. By trapping air in balloons, he has tried to transform his ideas into a 3D form.

6 Madhu Das
"Invisible Cage" -Installation with Photographs

Madhu is concerned with the general apathy towards nature that exists in society. Highlighting instances from Baroda, Madhu has tried to project the lack of planning when it comes to protecting trees in the city. He has taken a local example to highlight a global problem. Madhu also did a performance around Baroda, where he carried his installation around Baroda and interacted with the general population.

Madhu Das
"Crash, Boom, Bang" -Installation with plastic teacups

In this work also, Madhu has tried talk about environmental pollution, citing a very local issue to highlight its universality. He has used plastic teacups in his installation that is crashing into a tree. The resulting image makes the viewer realise the ease with which destroy nature.

7 Siddharth Kararwal
"Whackass!" -Performace and video

Siddharth used stuffed donkey models as a metaphor to illustrate how we rake up issues beyond its longevity. He did a performance where he dragged two of these models through baroda and beat them up from time to time. This performance was converted into a video projection for the exhibition.

8 Harshvardhan Kadam
"Crap" - Video and installation made of scrap

A trained illustrator, this work marks a shift in medium. This is Harshvardhan first attemp at animation and installation. Taking inspiration from graphic novels, Harshvardhan has captured the creatation of a monster from scrap.

9 Shally Mahajan
"Hope" - Bomboo and feathers

Shally has used her personal experiences, in her work. Her work represents a small drop of water and is used as a metaphor for life. She has used feathers and other objects, which the viewers can interact with to breathe some life into that drop of water.

10 Prayas Abhinav
'The Talk Shoe Company" -Interactive performance

Prayas Abhinav work deals with rampant consumerism. He has set up a virtual company that produces ficticious products. It is through the manufacture of these products that Prayas highlights other issues like relationships and identity. For more information please log on to www.thetalkshoecompany.com

11. Raghu Wodeyar
"Underground Artist" -Installation

Raghu has built an entire living space inside a gutter. His work deals with urban lifestyle and living spaces.

Raghu Wodeyar
"Show off… but it is very direct" - Installation

This is a site-specific installation at the Faculty of Fine Arts. It deals with the concept of perceived hierarchies.

12 Raghav Achary
"Untitled" -Cane, sawdust and ply
Raghav likes to deal with basic forms and has used this opportunity to further his style.

Workshop in action

...briefing the artists.

Artists exploring Baroda

At the Faculty of Fine arts, M.S.U

Pondering history at the Sevasi Step well

Artist presentations, discussions and debates

Raghu practicing his performance and having fun too!

Raghav doing some sketches

Prayas and Girijesh in conversation outside Monolith studio

Discussions and debates, Madhu in conversation about his ideas

At Chappad village

A visit to Manish's factory

B V Suresh's visit

Will be back tomorrow...

2009-04-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

<Sandarbh & Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan
Present
Sculptures & drawings by Barbara Ash (UK)
and
Drawings by Ko Hyun Hie (Korea)

Preview : 9 April 2009, at 5:00 pm

Chaturdik Gallery,Jawahar Kala Kendra, J.L.N. Marg, Jaipur

The exhibition will continue till 13 April from 11am. to 5pm.

Homogenous (the beauty of bland)

Exhibition @ Jawahara Kala Kendra Art Centre, Jaipur. The result of a 5 month Residency on the SANDARBH Residency Programme (blvs.blogspot.com), Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

"Colours". Installation
Click on images for larger view...

2009-03-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

2009-02-20T06:48:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH
International Artist Residency At Partapur- BANSWARA (Rajasthan)
Dated - 15 Feb to 15 March 2009

Participate Artist

1.Ko, Hyun-hie - Korea
2.Ri, Eung-woo -Korea
3.Ryu, Seung-gu - Korea
4.Anke Mellin -Germany
5.EGAMI HIEOSHI - Japan
6.Nagashima - Japan
7.Umesh Kumar - Bangalore
8.Vijay Sekhon-USA
9.Mr.Ogawa-Japan
10.Joanthan - U.K.
11.Lata Upadhyaya-U.K.
12.Mr.Okabe -Japan
13.Ms Noguchi-Japan

ARTIST WORKS ON THE SITES

EGAMI HIEOSHI - Japan
Title: Black Earth
Medium: Bamboo, clay and cow dung.

Vijay Sekhon-USA
Site - Madkola
Medium: Bamboo

Anke Mellin -Germany

The supporting institution is:Behoerde fuer Kultur, Sport und Medien der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg, Germany

Medium: Foot print,marbal powder.

Site- house Near play Ground,Partapur.

Partapur inspired me to realize three different works. the first idea appeared by seeing the empty house near the playground. The empty space and many children playing there attracted to do some collaborative work. The idea about PRINT evolved. After I opened the doors curious children appeared and we started cleaning and later painting the house. Then we started by making fingerprints on paper which we observed carefully. Each child drew her/his individual fingerprint on paper. Afterwards visiting children and adults made footprints on white paper. The signed prints were collected and hung on two walls and because the red ink used it looked very beautiful. White marble dust was seeved on the floor and framed by marble bricks. During several workshops people were invited to leave their footsteps on the floor. Two open doors flushed light on the always changing relief and displayed an interesting artwork made by the people of Partapur.

Anke Mellin -Germany

As second work I made A BENCH for Chintans Land. The hilly landscape and Mati river valley attracted me to make a curved bench with uprising levels to sit or lay down. With the help of locals I used the traditional broken-stone-technique with mortar for the construction. The bench invites to take a rest and enjoy the view especially at sunsrise and sunset. It is already proved that it works as a meeting place for the people of the nearby village.

Anke Mellin -Germany

For the third project called HHHMMM I bought expensive silver plates and collected the shit of animals. While walking on the main road and waiting for animals excrements people watched me and declared me as crazy. But after a while they helped by bringing goat shit for the project(goat shit consists of very small pieces). The display on silver plates in the old market worked really well since visitors understood that animals products have something to do with nutrion of people.

Umesh Kumar

Ko, Hyun-hie - Korea
Medium: Briks, marble, mud,dry grass and plants
Site: Adavera, Bori village.
Size: 180 x 80 x 230 cm

>Not a House<

I think all people take their energy from earth and heaven.

I have seen the area of Partapur mostly as farmland. The natural colors, like red burnt bricks, white marble and yellow hay are dominating the colors of Rajasthan, so I used these materials for making my work. As always natural colors are very interesting for me.
The material also talks about energy: bricks are made from earth, marble was processed while the earth was liquid, and hay is growing constantly on the ground.
Size: 180 x 80 x 230 cm

Ryu, Seung-gu

Title: Face
Medium: Stone from the site.
Site: Madkola Village

Ri, Eung-woo. Korea

"Sprout in Sandarbh"
Medium: Artist's hair, seeds, Bamboo and iron
Site: Madkola village

I wished the people luck by making an image of a sprout that they can see it from a distance. And I decided to use bamboo as a material. Because the peoples in Partapur use a bamboo basket as a cradle. That is why I chose it. It was very meaningful to make the installation representing their future at the moments. The image of a sprout and a baby growing in a cradle can meet through my work.

Lata Upadhyaya-U.K.
Site - Adevera Pound

FICA Present
Power Of Cloth
Public Art Project by Lochan U
Supported by SANDARBH
Site - Subesh Chandra Bose play Ground,Partapur
Date - 1st to 2nd march 2009

POWER OF CLOTH

The project “Power of Cloth” is very specific to the Vagad region of Rajasthan. This community has a specific cultural space, different from other Rajasthan surroundings. Being born and brought up in the same community culture, I have always been a regular spectator in witnessing the various activities. While pursuing the art education outside I was able to stretch my local to a much wider arena where in an effort was input to develop a dialogue between the self and the community, through their language, their material, their space, their issues, their involvement.
The project includes a life size marriage shamiana typical of this area where the marriages are usually held in open grounds by building up these temporary structures. A huge gate made of iron armature is kept at the entrance with the banner of the parties involved in the marriage. Also are the stylized chairs on which the bride and the groom are seated. Using these visual vocabularies I have tried to reconstruct the whole look of a marriage. The entrance gate and the chairs for the bride and the groom are made in iron structures, covered with the metal net and then further covered with stripes of cloth, considered as a waste, collected from the various tailor shops from different villages. Apart from this huge installation used in marriages, I was also interested in the concept of Marriage, which is all intertwined with the social structure. Caste system and dowry has become a ritual, on which the marriage is performed. What I intended in this project was to use these issues as the major driving force to reconstruct these structures in order to create an atmosphere where one is more aware and more conscious of the environment and the social structures s/he is being framed in.
Apart from its power to represent a region and the social and political aspects involved, cloth turned out to be the most apt medium for its deep involvement in the rituals of Marriage in form of gifts which turns to be a trick to subdued the heaviness of the term Dowry. A further research into this area proved to be very interesting because the clothes in terms of material, colour and design were very different, in fact very specific to Vagad, also that cast system at its strength has a very direct reflection on the choices of clothes being used by the people.
A lot of pictures are being taken as a documentation of the event of gifting. These pictures are a collection of the marriage album. I have collected these pictures from various houses of the different villages and have printed on the cloth for making the sidewalls of the shamiana in a design format generally used in such structures.

Performance by "Mela Group" and local Musician
Venue- Chaar Khamba, Partapur, Dated 5.03.09

Workshop In Action

Welcome in Partapur

Dancing at Marriage in Punjapur Village in Dungarpur District

Having Food at Marriage

Nagashima(Japan) playing drum at marriage

Artists with Groom

Sandarbh in Action

Music Night With JohnyML (art critic and curator), Somu Desai (artist) and Feroze Babu (Photographer and Web designer)During their Art routes in Partapur

Fauji Daaba and a Flat Tyre (www.johnyml.blogspot.com)

Lesson one: When you are on the road, dont drink too much at night. In Partapur we had a good party with the visiting artists and I had drunk quite well. Hence, yesterday morning I got up with a heavy head. Then and there, I decided I am not going to drink during the travel. Let me see whether I would be able to stick to my decision.

It was time to say good bye to Partapur. We had an important place to visit there: The Living Museum. So we go there accompanied by a friend from Sandarbh. Somu asks him not to tell the directions so that he could recollect the way for himself. We reach there and I too remember the place very well as I had gone there coulple of times before.

Living Museum is a concept developed by Chintan Upadhyay. A small village, almost a kilometer away from the Partapur main market, is where the Living Musuem is located. The word ‘museum’ might give you certain ideas about the building and location. But this does not have anything to do with those common notions. It is a double storied shack formerly used as a village community centre and at times it doubled up as a classroom. It was lying abandoned for long time and when Sandarbh started in Partapur, Chintan decided to activate this abandoned space.

This museum has got a lot of house hold utensils and other living tools. These are the actual tools used by the poor villagers who eke out their daily sustenance from farming and cattle rearing. They all wear minimum clothes and work throughout the day in farms and dairies. A couple of buffaloes respond to our arrival with a harsh sort of mooing. Skimply clad women look at us with some kind of amusement in their eyes. The Sandarbh boy who accompanies us opens the doors of the museum for us.

Living Museum functions in an interesting way. People can keep their traditional and living tools and utensils here as in a museum display. Whenever they want to use these tools they can take it away. Once the work is done they bring it back to the museum. However, what you see are the old and rusted tools, which have interesting shapes and structures. Many of them have gone out of use thanks to the change of pattern in life. While seeing them one can connect to a time when these tools were really used for carrying out daily chores.

We have become too much depended on the modern technology. We have almost become slave to these gadgets. If the mobile phones show poor connectivity we get disturbed. I am supposed to write a blog. We come back to the Sandarbh office. I open one of the lap tops we are carrying and suddenly its display is scrambled. I dont feel challenged as we have a master lap top with us with the latest softwares. It belongs to Feroze. We call it Pentagon and the other computer FBI.

Feroze opens the Pentagon computer for me and suddenly it crashes. Virus? Feroze is suddenly gloomy. He calls up his son and takes a few tips from him. This 19 years old young engineering student is a computer wizard. He can fix any modern gadgets just by looking at it. He has an eye for technology.

Some people are like that. They can fix the machines easily. Bhavin Mistry is a young artist friend and he can fix computers using any available tools. Recently he repaired a computer using one small kitchen knife as his sole tool! I am not a technical person at all. For me computer is ‘Microsoft Word’ and internet. Anything goes wrong, I call the lifeline numbers. While Feroze fixes the computer, I remember A.J.Cronin’s essay titled ‘Overhauling’. Some people keep overhauling their gadgets all the time. Give them a cycle, they will overhaul that also.

I finish my blog in Feroze’s computer, which is ready by now. After lunch we leave Partapur and drive towards Ujjain. On the way we visit two acres of land recently acquired by Sandarbh near Partapur. Sandarbh is planning to start its permanent residency programs here. Will it go against the founding ideals of Sandarbh, I wonder. Sandarbh is all about moving. But one cannot be a rolling stone all the time. Sandarbh too needs its permanent headquarters.

Landscapes change around us. Inside the airconditioned car we dont feel the heat outside. In central India, it is already summer, though the early mornings and evenings are cold. The rural Rajasthan landscape is predominantly brown in color. The sky is sharp blue today. It soothes the eyes. It has the freshness of a teenager. The rigor and vigor will increase as the summer months would progress in the coming days. I look at the changing colors of landscapes. Somu drives and Feroze takes a nap at the backseat.

In Gujarat we experienced the quality of roads. Throughout Gujarat roads are in a good condition. The public transport system is more or less good. May be that is the reason why many people want Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India. Recently someone commented that India need Naredra Modi as Prime Minister and central government should be led by the Congress Party! People are so desparate as they are caught between vying ideologies and their innate demands for progress and development.

As we enter Rajasthan, the roads change in quality and complexion. Pot holes appear in regular intervals. Palak Raval, who was with us during the first day had proudly commented on the quality of the Gujarat Roads. “Roads tell you where you are,” she had said.

That is true in a way. As we enter Madhya Pradesh, suddenly we find our vehicles running on a rough path. Optimism is the best tool when you are on the road. We hope for this bad patch to finish and get into a better road. But better roads never seem to come. Tossed and bumped inside the car we feel like pieces of fruits in a juice machine. Some kind of alertness come back to us.

For the last few days we have been eating vegetarian food. Suddenly I tell that we should eat some non-vegetarian food today. Somu is not a non-veg person. But he too wants to eat some egg today. So we wistfully look for some restaurants or dabas that sell non-veg food. Most of the wayside restaurants in Madhya Pradesh do not sell non-veg food. Finally we find one person standing with a few trayes of eggs and a stove.

We approach him and ask for omlets or scrambled egg. He smiles.

“I sell only boiled eggs,” he says.

His expertise is in boiling eggs. He may not knowing how to make scrambled egg or omlets. But there must be another reason. A business is operated according to the demand of the people. Here people are not asking for scrambled eggs. People are comfortable with boiled eggs. Then there is another way of making a business successful. The person can create a demand for scrambled eggs or omlets. But this guy must be lazy, I think.

“Go two kilometers from here and you find ‘Fauji’ daaba. There you get non-veg stuff,” one boy who sits on his cycle carrier lazily tells us. He almost sounds dismissive. He does not like our presence there.

Fauji Daaba, suddenly the sign board appears on our right side and we feel as if we had found an oasis. Fauji in Hindi means soldier. Soldiers are supposedly eating non-veg. We are happy for the oasis, which eventually turns out to be an oasis. It is just a mirage. This fauji who doubles himself up as the cook and cashier tells us that he does not serve non-veg food. Finally we settle for the usual vegetarian food.

Fauji looks really a soldier in his well built body and crew cut. He has a straight moustache. And his voice has a commanding power. Even when he spells out the menu for us, he relives his parade ground days. He shouts the names of the items. We order our food. We feel that we have a strong appetite at that moment and order for larger portions.

If someone wants to know about the food, this is what we order, Dum Aaloo (two plates), Dal Tadka (two plates), Bhindi (two plates), salads (two plates) and tandoori rotis. Once he gets the order the Fauji gets into action. He moves fast as if he were moving through trechnes and enemy terrains at the border. Soon the place is filled with different kinds of aromas.

The cool breeze touches us. We hold ourselves together. I lie down on the charpoy and look at the starry sky. I look for some constellations up there. But the sky suddenly looks like a modern gadget. I dont understand anything. I leave my effort.

The tandoor is ready and the stove started glowing. We go close to it and feel the warmth. On the other end, we find a television playing the Zee TV Sa Re Ga Ma program. Fauji’s family members, a wife and a daughter sit on the floor and watch the TV. We too watch the TV for a while. Sonu Nigam and Suresh Wadkar speak to the competing kids with compassion. Canned laughter and canned tears jerk out of the television.

Finally food comes. We think that we can eat a lot. But we dont eat. The appetite has gone. We eat the food in silence. Each of us has withdrawn to the private world.

Ujjain is forty five kilometers from here. After food we are considerably energized. Somu reves up the engine and we jump into the car. We leave Fauji behind.

We are now very close to Ujjain. A huge archway with sign boards and directions welcome us. We read out the distances loudly. Suddenly our car shakes and shivers. It is ten at night.

Yes, we get a flat tyre. The rear left tyre is punctured. The car wobbles and comes to a halt. Right in front of us there is a check post. Huge trucks queue up to get an entry into the city. Only by 11 o clock they are allowed to enter.

We dont feel challenged. We take out the tools and start working towards changing the tyre. We put the jack under the car and lifts it. Suddenly the jack fails and the car comes down with a thud.

I walk into the night and look for a puncture fixing guy and luckily finds one near the check post. He is reluctant to walk a few meters to our car. I request him to come along. Finally he relents. After two hours of harrowing struggle (thanks to the complicated structure of our car) we get our tyre fixed. The young man who helped us do not charge us too much. The tube has got four holes in it thanks to the usual suspect, a sharp nail. Nails are the worst enemy a traveler can confront when he is on the road.

Exhausted by now we somehow want to reach a hotel. Finally we get a decent hotel and we fall down on the beds.

Before sleeping I think of this temple town. I have been here before. I had visited the Mahakala temple, one of the most famous Shiva shrines in India, with Mrinal, long back.

With some sense of happiness and contentment we sleep.

PS: While driving towards Ujjain, I came up with this idea of making a short film once we reach in Bastar. I conjured up a story quickly. It is going to be a very simple moive. One man comes to visit Bastar. Another person starts following him. Or he thinks that he is stalked by somebody. The film is about of stacking and surveillance. I am sure it is going to be an interesting experience.

Partapur - A Contemporary Art Site

“Before coming to Partapur I didn’t know anything about this place. For the last five days I have been traveling around this village and now I have found a site to do my public art project,” Anke Mellin tells me. Anke is an artist and curator from Germany. She is in Partapur to participate in the Sandarbh International Artists Workshop. “I like the people here. They are very intelligent and they know how to negotiate with foreigners,” she adds.

Perhaps, the people in this village did not know how to deal with the foreigners a few years back. They used to look at the visitors with awe and suspicion. But with the Sandarbh Workshop quite active here, the villagers have become used to the presence of foreigners.

Sandarbh Workshop for Site Specific and Environmental Art, established in 2003 by the artist Chintan Upadhyay is now well-known all over the world. It has already conducted two workshops in the US and in May 2009, it will have its chapter opened in London under the leadership of the UK based artist Ivan Smith. In Hungary, artist Eross Istavan is working towards starting a Sandarbh Chapter. In Baroda, Chintan had already done a Sandarbh Workshop. In Delhi and South Gujarat too there will be annual Sandarbh Workshops soon.

Years back, when Chintan started Sandarbh Workshop in Partapur, a small village that aspires to become a town, in Banswada district, Rajasthan, he had this idea of bringing art to the people. He believes that art could happen anywhere. It is not necessary to have galleries and urban museums to showcase work of art. “Sandarbh means context. I can make art anywhere. If I am sitting in a restaurant and if I am making a drawing on a piece of napkin, I am converting that space into an art space. Partapur is a village and at the same time it is a context for the art to happen,” says Chintan.

Sandarbh has three annual features: there is a ten days long Indian artists’ workshop. The month long workshop is for the visiting artists from different parts of the world. The third feature is a six months residency program in Partapur. Artists could stay here for six months and do any kind of art they would like to do. The basic idea is to do public art projects with available materials and with local participation.

When we are here, the month long international artists’ residency program is about to start. Yatin Upadhyay, who leads the Baneswar Lok Vikas Sanstha (BLVS), an NGO in Partapur, gives able leadership to the ongoing workshops. To help him out and also to do the organizational works artist Shreyas Karle is here. Another young artist Lochan Upadhyay also works full time with Sandarbh. Interestingly, none here works for remuneration. “It is a voluntary act and you are welcome,” says Chintan.

Many young artists have already been a part of this workshop ever since it started. Many have gained fame and fortune in the art scene. And all of them, whether successful or not, take a lot of pride in being a part of Sandarbh. Two years back I also participated in Sandarbh Workshop as an observer.

I have very special memories about this place. All of them come back to my mind once we reached here yesterday night.

The drive from Baroda was smooth. Palak Raval, a Mumbai based artist, who participated in Sandarbh last year, also joined us from Baroda. She was going to Partapur to work as a volunteer in the ongoing workshop. Her job would be to facilitate artists.

I like this idea of Sandarbh. It gives you a feeling that the whole program is yours. Nobody owns Sandarbh. You can be part of it and if you want you can start a Sandarbh in your place. There are no hierarchies and bureaucracy in it.

The moment we struck the main road that leads to Rajasthan I fell asleep in the backseat. The Gujarat Thali treat by Kishu was pretty heavy with all its sweet dishes. My body and mind relaxed as the music system in the car played out the old numbers by the legendary singer, Kishor Kumar.

I woke up after an hour and found that we had already crossed around seventy kilometers. Then I expressed my wish to drive the car. We changed seats and I drove the car for half an hour. While I was at wheels, the ambience inside the car changed dramatically. Palak, who was humming tunes and cracking jokes also became silent. Feroze was giving me directions.

“Wives never like to drive when the husbands are with them,” Feroze says. “They give a lot of directions and they never believe that their wives can drive properly.”

“Mrinal stopped driving because of me,” I tell Feroze. He smiled.

Somu was like a tensed husband. Feroze was like a considerate one. I was the hapless wife. After half an hour, Somu tricked me out of the driving seat.

Later Feroze took the charge. He is an excellent driver. After watching Feroze driving, Somu made peace with himself. Then he slept. I became the navigator and ‘spiritual guide’ for these ‘excellent’ drivers.

Do I feel bad for being a bad driver? I don’t. I can drive people crazy. And I do it well. Nothing to worry.

We reached Partpaur around 8 O’clock at night. The place looked so familiar to me.

After having a quick shower, we all reached one of the rooms in Sandabh office where a party was going to start.

In the party we meet three Korean artists, Ko Hyun Hie, Ri Eung- Yoro and Ryu Seung –gu. All of them belong to a famous environmental artist group in Korea called Yatoo. Anke Mellin is from Germany. Egami Heoshi and Nagashima are from Japan. Umesh Kumar from Karnataka is the Indian participant this time.

Egami Heoshi is a great entertainer. He dances well. Nagashima is a drummer. He has brought his drum kit along. But in the party he prefers to play a bucket. He covers the bottom of the bucket with a towel and uses the sticks to create drum like muffled sound. He does it quite well.

There is a dholak (percussion instrument) also. Yatin plays it well. I take it from him and start playing it, following the rhythm created by Nagashima. We all sing songs from our respective languages.

Later Palak told me that I sang well and complimented me for my ‘good’ voice. I felt good. I forgot that I was a bad driver. I should say that Yatin and Shreyas are wonderful singers. Yatin sings Rajasthani folk songs and Shreyas sings classical songs and he plays harmonium too.

I speak to the visiting artists. They are all excited about the works that they are going to do in Partapur.

Today our plan is to spend time around Partapur. Our next destination is Ujjain.

Preparing Food for All by Artists

Sandarbh Theatre Group Perform performance at Primary School Pipalwa Village

Artist Nagashima (Japan) Playing Drum with Local Children with Local Instrument

India through German Eyes, some impressions from Anke Mellin

I was picked up at Ahmedabad by some nice people and after 5 hours travel by car arrived at Partapur. A small villagelike town with 24 thousand inhabitants. It is dominated by a long road. At both sides is a chain of houses without any gap between. There almost everything what one needs is sold: fabric, kitchen utensils, herbs, grain, utensils for keeping animals, jewelry etc. there are also a lot of barbers and tailors. Some sell Incense and pictures of saints.
From morning 9 am until 7 pm many things are going on. And because after a three months draught the street consists mainly of dust. During daytime it becomes a thick cloud of dust which enters the lungs. Animals are part of the population. They are living in symbiosis with human beings: goats, cows (2 kinds of cows- Buffalo and Zebu), sheep, dogs and also I saw a wild pig in the street. They all stroll slowly and not aggressively through the town. The animals are searching for waste which is thrown onto the street, but in the evening they go home where they are fed. Cows, sheep and goats are milked and this product provides an important part of the nutrition. The people drink and eat it as some kind of Yoghurt. Together with vegetables and Chappatis (some kind between pancake and bread) it is the daily diet. The kitchen really is purely vegetarian, they do not even eggs. The taste is delicious and people look very healthy, slim but in good shape. Many are naturally skinny, they have bodies like children.

The most impressive thing in Rajasthan are the colorful women's dresses. They consist of at least two strong colors, which go together very well. What we Westerners would not even think that it looks good is beautiful here. The women look like flowers. The dark skin, black eyes and hair makes it most impressive. Women walking very upright with metal water pots on their heads and many other things too can be seen often.

During the first days we traveled a lot by car to see the surrounding area but also getting acquainted to the specific atmosphere of the region. Also we were introduced to possible places for our work which are supposed to react to the specific site. I would like to develop something near a big playground where boys enjoy the late afternoon by playing foot- and baseball. The playground is part of several schools which are located there also. An empty house attracted me and I got the permission to work with it. Together with schoolchildren I want to clean the house and paint the walls. On the inner space of the floor I will put marble dust and invite the children and people from the area to enter and leave their footprints on the marble dust. The three doors will be opened and the light will expose a relief of feet traces. Before the performance takes place I will hold a workshop at school where we play with the notion of traces- traces which we- human beings leave on earth etc. The idea is not quite clear but it will be something like this.
In addition- may be- will construct a platform at Mahi river, where people can sit, relax and watch the beautiful landscape.

2009-02-06T02:17:00.000-08:00

SANDARBH
10 Days Artist Workshop at Bhagora Village,Partapur-Banswara

Dated - 20 Jan. to 30 Jan. 2009

Open Day on 29 Jan 2009

Workshop in Action

1. Amrish - Patna

2. Anne Parcoce - USA

3. Bhuvnesh- Mumbai

4. Kiran Telkar - Delhi

Performance

5.Lochan U.

6.Palak Rawal - Mumbai

7. Parag tandle - Mumbai

8.Prantik Chattopadhyay - Baroda

9. Shamla - Banglore

10. Soomu Desai - Vaapi

2009-02-05T23:16:00.000-08:00

VYOM CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART -JAIPUR (Rajasthan) PRESENTS " SEGMENT-5"

An Exhibition of Paintings, Drawings and Video Installations by Hungarian Artists

Dated 16 Jan. - 26 Jan. 2009

Collaboration- Sandarbh,Beneshwer Lok Vikas Sansthan-Partapur,Banswara(Rajasthan)
Artists

Segment V
Indian-Hungarian Contemporary Art Exchange Exhibition

A series of exchange exhibitions, Segment strives to present the work of Hungarian and Far Eastern artists. Its roots go back to the now ten-year long activity of the artists’ colonies the Hungarian artists’ group Tulsó P’Art (“The Other Side”) have organized. We have regularly invited Far Eastern artists to these colonies, and thus had an opportunity to encounter contemporary Far Eastern art life, its – from a European vista – rich and variegated aspirations. It was on the basis of this system of connections that the idea of organising a series of exchange exhibitions was conceived, which we have now been able to bring about the fifth time over.

The first exchange exhibitions in the programme were put up at three venues in Japan and Hungary each in 2004. Continuing the programme, Segment II presented the work of 15 Hungarian artists at the Zanabazaar Museum in Ulan Bator in 2005. Parallel to this event, we started organizing a Hungarian-Taiwan exchange show, Segment III, the first station of which had Taiwan artists present their work at the galleries MMG and MAMÜ. This set of exhibitions included material by young and mid-generation Taiwan artists, in our opinion, well representing the thematic and technical trends dominating the contemporary art scene of Taiwan. Its corresponding Hungarian show was housed by the Gallery of the National Taiwan University of Arts. Then Segment IV was organized in Daejeon, Korea, in July 2007, and in Budapest in November the same year. The exhibitions had several venues in both towns: 12 Hungarian artists showed their works at the galleries Ingong, Wooyeon and Yian in Daejeon, while their Korean counterparts at the galleries 2B, IX, Art9 and Erlin in Budapest.

It is an important aspect of arranging the Segment shows that the exchanges take place between countries that know little about each other’s culture and contemporary art life. We have therefore attempted to present selections that represent the major tendencies in contemporary Hungarian art from both a conceptional and a technical point of view. On the other hand, this is what justifies, given the opportunity, organizing symposia, as in the case of the Hungarian exhibition at the Taipei University, where lectures were delivered on contemporary Hungarian art and its context, deepening understanding and facilitating the reception of the exhibited material.

Running for five years now, the particularity of the Segment shows is that their events are the fruit of not an institutionalized system of connections but of the initiative and organizing activity of individual artists. They are artists who have a genuine interest in other cultures and are also capable of acting in order to learn about and familiarize them. These both professional and personal relations do not cease to exists after the shows, they make an invisible and living network. This is important because a Segment, due to its characteristic features, is capable of presenting aspects of the art life of a country that fall outside the purview of major institutions, as the art of the day is much richer and more colourful than what our institutions are able to show.

Segment V is thus the Indian station of a several-year long exchange show programme, and its counterpart is to be presented at the Inda Gallery and the exhibition spaces of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in Budapest in December 2009. All the 14 artists exhibiting at Vyom Centre for Contemporary Art, from fresh, young artists confidently employing inter-medial techniques to classical painters, are leading figures of the Hungarian art scene. Naturally, this does not mean that this selection pretends to cover all contemporary Hungarian art, it merely shows, as the title conveys, a slice of it, giving an inkling of the art life of a European country probably little known.

István ERŐSS
Artist, Organizer

Inauguration by Shri Braj Kishor Sharma Transport Minister,Govt.of Rajasthan

Eross Istvan with Media

Artists with classical Singer (Shri. Vazifudinn Dagar) on opening day

2008-11-30T04:32:00.000-08:00

one month International 2 Artist Residency At partapur

Dated - 5th November to 5th December 2008

Artist photo

Barbara Ash - U.K.

1.“Ship of the desert” (performance)

This piece looked at the impact & challenges of globalization on rural, traditional communities. I decided to use a camel for two reasons – hailing from England, where camels are only found in zoos, I was compelled by the fascinating & intriguing nature of the creature, which seems to be a mixture of stately majesty & bizarre ungainliness. Also, more importantly,I saw it a pertinent icon of the rural & traditional way of life in the face of technological “progress”. I attempted to juxtapose the traditional with the modern in a specially-designed camel coat. This used a traditional design & aesthetic, with local materials & collaborative embroidery work from a local craftsperson, but incorporating rosette-like logos from big multi-national companies. As the lone white person in the area I was constantly aware of my racial difference & so used myself as the “westerner” element in the context of the local culture versus possible encroaching westernization.

2.“Catharsis” (performance)

This was a more personal piece, which was primarily inspired by the beauty & serenity of the Bhagora lake & the deep primal desire to sit in the middle of the lake in a fisherman’s boat. I made previously, in the studio, small multiple birds in clay, one for each year of my life, which were then wrapped up in plastic & sellotape. At the lake these were placed in a stainless steel bowl in a bed of red rose-heads & were ceremoniously unwrapped & dipped into the water & smoothed & then flung out into the water followed by a red rose, all to suitably emotive music. This piece dealt with memories/experience & embracing the past while simultaneously putting it to rest, all in a somewhat ritualistic, romantic, “self-indulgent” manner. I also used the idea of returning the clay to the earth, to the mud at the bottom of the lake. The bird motif, to me, was about using an incongruous element for the lake context (sinking birds rather than soaring) & also as a loose metaphor for past emotions & hopes.

3.“Vanishing Village Goddesses”

This work follows the same theme of local versus global culture. The two images of women were taken from visits to Kotada. They were in part inspired by a Hanuman icon by the Bori lake. I liked the simplicity of the idea of making a clay relief with conventional, meticulous modelling then submerging it at the lake-side till it dissolved back into the mud, this had echoes of the familiar portion of the English funeral rites “from earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust…”. I also wanted to bring the dynamic of art, in the clay object, & nature, the lake & the earth, together. Also, I find the appearance of ancient stone sculpture appealing, when it starts to lose its form with the erosion of time, touch & weather, producing a softer, rounded dissolving echo of its original form.

4.“Self-empowerment”

Following a visit to a women’s group meeting & then a further visit to their village I decided to make a celebratory piece of work on their story. Twenty-four women had formed a group to work together to get a loan from the Government SGSY Scheme to get people above the poverty line. Three years ago they took a loan to buy buffaloes to start a business & were then able to repay it in a short period & have now become self-sufficient & are prospering. It was heartening to come across a positive success story in a region that has a seemingly poor record on women’s equality/rights. I took the most basic female symbol possible, borrowed from toilet door signs, for it’s simplicity & universality. On one side there are digital photos of the women at work & on the other drawings of women from a workshop I took at the Government Primary School in Bhimsor. I wanted to have actual specific images & also general expressive images in the same piece. There is also a sign-post aside the figure with “self-empowerment” on one side in Hindi & English on the other.

5."Masquerade" (Performance)

This performance looked at ideas of cultural perception, belonging &
sexuality, touching also on issues of cultural assimilation.
The starting-point was the recent experience of being a foreign woman
living in India & in particular, a 1 month, intense period in
Partapur, a small town in Rajasthan. Being the only white person in
the area produced a lot of attention/scrutiny & curiosity & made me
constantly aware of my racial/cultural difference. Feeling like a
passive "zoo creature" I decided to turn the situation around & to
"dress up" as an Indian woman in a saree & sit in the market-place,
subject myself to being squirted with water to remove my applied
colour (liquid clay) then rapidly divest myself of my sari revealing
my normal (western) clothes &, finally, flee on the back of a
motorbike.

Pooja Panchal - Baroda

I am currently working on plates crafted from traditional mud-work. This process is a traditional, but vanishing skill, & the sole craftsperson of the village is an 80 year old lady who is guiding the work. The pieces will carry the phrase “I am here” & affirm the presence of the individual & their particular home & history. These will be sited on selected residencies in the locality. The next project is to use a number of colourful Rabadi traditional skirts as a large flower-form arrangement on a local hillside.

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Workshop in press