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Art, music revitalise Kolkata streets

7NDJG8DGG:HEDC9:CI wallahs, passersby, tourists,
everyone gets to see the work,”

T
ired of watching their
city spiral into an under-
developed quagmire, a
group of young Kolkata artists
decided the only way to do justice
to the city and its people was by
taking art to the streets. This was
how Magic Wallrush began two
years ago, after a trip Arka Alam,
Ranabir Das and Opashona
Ghosh took to Shantiniketan. In
only two years this has evolved
into a full-fledged art experiment,
one that provides an alternative
platform for artists to display their
work for all to see.
The sidewalks of Kolkata, long-
neglected by the government,
have not been this vibrant since
the 1960s and ‘70s, when it was a
cultural hub of India. “It started
off as a take on street art in this
city. As we strolled down Sudder
Street, we bumped into our first
wall. We just wanted to remind
the city that if there isn’t space in
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galleries, then you’re welcome to
take over the streets and not feel
sorry,” says Alam, a student of Ja-
davpur University.
The French-Algerian Nobel
Prize winner Albert Camus
once said, “A guilty conscience
needs to confess. A work of art
is a confession”. Camus became
the inspiration for the group,
who realised that art’s power lies
in its ability to speak to numer-
ous people.
The day-long event includes a
photograph exhibition, paint-
7CW]_YMWbbhki^[Z_j_ed_dYbkZ[i[n^_X_j_ede\f^eje]hWf^iWdZfW_dj_d]i
ings and graphic art creations by
the members. They occasionally
have open mics, poetry reading
and student short film festivals.
“It’s been a little less than 2 years
and we have already grown from
10 to a group of 50 from around
the country. A month before the
exhibition we announce it. We
take in submissions from new art-
ists. From about 800-900 submis-
sions, we select 50 photographs/
graphic art and 45 art works. We
have self-funded books, hand
painted shoes, T-shirts, lamps,”
Ghosh told Guardian20.
As more and more young artists
rebel against the strictures that
curators and galleries enforce, the
group has chosen to exhibit their
works on the streets rather than in
galleries. “We always have the op-
tion to showcase our art work in
galleries. But we chose the streets.
It is more democratic and reaches
out to a lot more people; ricksha-
Ghosh adds.
Their biggest challenge was get-
ting people out of their comfort
zones in this “uninspired, stag-
nant” city. They have already host-
ed four editions and the fifth one
is in the pipeline. “When we think
of walls, the first question is how
many people can we reach out to.
Second is space, since it’s around
100 pieces of art and 15 musicians
jamming. Third is the challenge to
use an unconventional wall (read:
broken, open bricks, pan stained,
forgotten) and change the space
into a mela for the day,” explains
Ghosh.
They have been overwhelmed
with the response the project has
gathered so far. “We weren’t sure
if people would like it initially but
it was something which the city
had never seen or had long for-
gotten after the 70’s. Street art was
something people in Kolkata had
neglected of late,” says Alam.

Transport is Archive gives herstory its due

the modern 6CC>:?D=CCN
was not only about the sig-

destroyer
nificant roles of male leaders

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In this age of post-9/11
fears, it is enough for a piece
of unattended baggage to
be lying under your bus or
train seat for everyone to get
into panic mode. New York-
based artist of Pakistani
origin Fawad Khan delves
into the way transporta-
tion has been transformed
into modes of destruction in
his ongoing exhibition, The
Road Taken, at The Shrine
“This exhibition
is a meditation on
violence and identity.
I want to question the
use of the automobile,
an invention built
for the purpose of
transportation that
is becoming a tool
of destruction.”
tion built for the purpose of
transportation that is more
and more becoming a tool of
destruction,” says Khan.
Khan uses different auto-
mobile motifs to represent
various cultures and focuses
on the use of car bombs in
war. The spiralling, disinte-
grating forms surrounding
the motifs are about how the
military is usually present
when bombing incidents oc-
cur.
“The motifs are a fairly
loaded symbol. Whether it’s
a US muscle car cast upside-
down, hinting at the econom-
ic downfall, or if it’s a deco-
rated commuter bus from the
subcontinent surrounded by
figures denoting insurgency
and a military presence, the
idea is to combine disparate
elements,” says Khan.
The recent series was born
out of his frustration with
the current political condi-
tions around the world and
the media’s hype of war and
violence. “When you begin
W
hile history is but also had contributions
replete with sto- from young females,” says
ries of men who Rajagopalan.
have left their mark in politics The Prajnya Archive team
and other aspects of public now hope they will inspire
life, very few women are seen people to dig into their col-
as significant contributors lections and contribute pho-
to the unfolding of the past. tographs. “The key here is to
The work of some incredible let everyone realise that the
women activists, leaders and things that seem inconse-
politicians is barely acknowl- quential to them (like a photo
edged and remembered by of an aunt at work in her of-
patriarchal historians. To B[\jjeH_]^j09^WdZ[hIWXW^_\ehc[hXedZ[ZbWXekh[h_dI_dZ^"FWa_ijWd"ijkZ[djWYj_l_ij'/*-"mec[d_dYebb[]["KZW_fkh"'/+&i fice) are actually crucial docu-
counter this, a Chennai-based in the public sphere over subject of women’s public Most of the contributors are S. Manjubhashini and the ments of women contribut-
NGO called the The Prajnya the last century. “History participation,” says Sudha from India, Pakistan and the earliest pictures of the First ing to public life. Our task is
Resource Centre on Women writing and record-keeping Rajagopalan, curator of the Maldives. The photographs Ladies of Maldives stand to persuade them that even
in Politics and Policy has has always been more con- archive. available on their website, alongside a photo of Chander the little things women did
started an initiative to ensure cerned with preserving the The project completes prajnyaarchives.wordpress. Sabahi, a bonded labourer in are highly significant to our
notable figures emerge from memory of what men have one year this month and com, are both old as well as Sindh, Pakistan. understanding of how they
this obscurity. done throughout history. so far over 50 photographs contemporary, and offer a “Photographs like the one exercised their choices. With
This user-generated project, Especially, men in politically have ben contributed by comprehensive picture of the of the women raising the flag a digital archive, it becomes
called the Prajnya Archives, significant public roles. The family members, friends, contribution of women in dif- of Independence in Madras easier for people to upload
seeks to create a visual record Prajnya Trust is building a Facebook group members ferent spheres. It makes for a Presidency in 1947 are cru- their photos and help us build
of South Asian women who resource centre to serve as a and people who have found fascinating collection, as have cial documents that prove this project, “says Joost Kapti-
have been visible and active point for archival data on the them through web search. images of the freedom fighter that the freedom movement jn, co-curator of the archive.
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Casey-Phoenix film is Doorman keeps piece Ali Zafar to showcase
‘gonzo moviemaking’ lost by drunk safe his art for charity
Actor-director Casey The missing million-dollar The star of the satirical
Affleck confirmed that painting Portrait of a Girl has film Tere Bin Laden Ali
his new film, I’m Still Here, finally been found with a Zafar, will be putting on
is not a documentary but Fifth Avenue doorman, who view his artwork at a charity
performance art. Casey found the painting in bushes exhibition organised by the
confirmed in an interview outside the building where alumni association of the
with The Times that the film, he works. Franklin Puent- College of Art and Design at
which documents actor es, said he stumbled on the the Alhamra Art Galleries in
Joaquin Phoenix’s attempts to painting and took it home. Lahore. Zafar used to make
become a hip-hop artist, was staged, down to Phoenix’s much After much research Puentes discovered that was at the centre 20 minute charcoal portraits in a hotel lobby to raise money
discussed appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. of a lega ldispute and quickly returned it to the cops. for his music albums when he was 18.

Puccini’s Tosca will Greer opera inspired McCartney’s 1973 hit

soon be in Delhi
Music lovers take note: Andrew Lloyd Webber Gala and
Puccini’s Tosca are soon going to land in town. The Symphony
Orchestra of India (SOI) plays at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre
of the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA), this sea-
son you will get to see excerpts from Andrew Lloyd Webber
Gala,which has some the composer’s popular works like Phan-
tom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard and Evita. But the highlight
will definitely be the staging of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, the
dramatic force of which still continues to fascinate people.
by Griffin on BBC
Massive protests followed when Nick Griffin, leader of the
ultra right-wing British National Party, was invited onto BBC
1’s Question Time, considered one of the most controversial pro-
grammes in television history. Griffin was next to black aca-
demic and playwright Bonnie Greer during the show and now
Greer has used this experience to write an Opera. The Opera
will be staged at the Royal Opera House and Covent Garden.
Tony Hall, chief executive of the Royal Opera House said he was
excited at the prospect of the opera, bringing new audiences.
to be reissued
Paul McCartney will soon be reissuing the best-selling 1973
record he made with The Wings Band on the Run. The Grammy-
winning album, which yielded hits like Jet, will be re-released
in November in several remastered configurations. The new
version will include a four-disc collector’s edition which will
have an interview with McCartney, a 120-page book of photos
by McCartney’s late wife Linda, and an audio documentary.
McCartney formed Wings, along with wife Linda McCartney
after his after his bitter split with The Beatles.

Kanye West to break Cohen to play rocker Bruce Dickinson now

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Empire Gallery, New Delhi.
“This exhibition is a medita-
tion on violence and identity.
The works in the show pair
autos with deconstructed
camouflaged forms, amongst
other symbols (such as or-
ange traffic-cones, construc-
tion debris, graffiti, pome-
granates and chili pepper).
I want to question the use
of the automobile, an inven-
to wonder why you make
the work you make, I think,
my dissatisfaction with the
current political climate has
played a role. I just want to
make really strong, provoca-
tive works that bring up dis-
course, debate, ideas, conver-
sations,” says Khan
The Road Taken will continue
at the gallery until 1st October.
MJ’s video record
Kanye West is all set to
break MJ’s record by releas-
ing the longest music video.
The Grammy Award-win-
ning rapper will release a 40-
minute epic for his new single
Runaway. The video will beat
Jackson’s Ghosts, which timed
in at 39 minutes and 31 sec-
onds by 29 seconds. West says the story for the video about a
phoenix that lands on earth, has been inspired by his life.
Freddie Mercury an airline executive
Sacha Baron Cohen, the
Borat star is set all set to play
the legendary rocker Freddie
Mercury in a dramatic fea-
ture focusing on his days as
the front man of Queen. The
project is being supported by
the three surviving members
of Queen. Guitarist Brian
May and drummer Roger Taylor will oversee the musical
content of the film.
You might not expect the lead
singer of one of the world’s big-
gest metal bands to be having
a second job. But that’s exactly
what Iron Maiden’s Bruce
Dickinson is doing. He will be
acting as the marketing direc-
tor at Astraeus, the Gatwick-
based charter airline and said
his role would be about delivering business propositions to
decision makers in aviation.