Attended this very interesting session yesterday… it was said to be an evening of cinema of prayoga (http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/New-pinch/321754/), films by Ashok Sukumaran and Shaina Anand, curated by Amrit Gangar and held at the National Centre for Performing Arts. Their works however can’t be called ‘films’, in the strict sense of the term, even if one were to widen the gamut by terming them experimental. Though experimental and imaginative they certainly were. Their works can perhaps be described as media interventions or interactive/ installation art. And much like art, they seemed to have little ‘relevance’ though the inherent ingenuity and yet simplicity was marvelous.
Since they presented several projects, its difficult for me to write about all. I found Ashok’s (http://0ut.in/) interactive roadside installations involving electricity rather heartwarming. The connections and interactions they necessitated between people, mostly strangers, and often from entirely different socio cultural backgrounds was wonderful to see. Since this was public art, with free access for anyone who chose to stop and be a part of it, it led to a cross section of people reacting and interacting with the experiment as well as among themselves, united only by their curiosity and sense of participation.
Shaina’s (http://chitrakarkhana.net/ ) works were less obscure and rather more ‘useful’ in many ways. Certainly easier to analyse and use to one’s advantage, though precisely such interference by the State in the public life of the common man, was probably her provocation for the ‘surveillance’ camera series of works called ‘Khirkiyaan’ (http://chitrakarkhana.net/khirkeeyaan.htm). I found this series very interesting. This was more direct interaction, with both sound and video. She hooked up four cameras and television sets with split screens showing images from all four cameras. These were installed within a 200m radius of each other, in different neighbourhoods in Delhi. There were also mikes, allowing real time interaction between the people in front of the camera. Depending on where the cameras were placed, this led to very interesting conversations among the people involved. This was local reality tv with a twist…
I’m not sure of the inspirations or provocations behind their works. But they certainly are doing some fairly interesting stuff.
Since they presented several projects, its difficult for me to write about all. I found Ashok’s (http://0ut.in/) interactive roadside installations involving electricity rather heartwarming. The connections and interactions they necessitated between people, mostly strangers, and often from entirely different socio cultural backgrounds was wonderful to see. Since this was public art, with free access for anyone who chose to stop and be a part of it, it led to a cross section of people reacting and interacting with the experiment as well as among themselves, united only by their curiosity and sense of participation.
Shaina’s (http://chitrakarkhana.net/ ) works were less obscure and rather more ‘useful’ in many ways. Certainly easier to analyse and use to one’s advantage, though precisely such interference by the State in the public life of the common man, was probably her provocation for the ‘surveillance’ camera series of works called ‘Khirkiyaan’ (http://chitrakarkhana.net/khirkeeyaan.htm). I found this series very interesting. This was more direct interaction, with both sound and video. She hooked up four cameras and television sets with split screens showing images from all four cameras. These were installed within a 200m radius of each other, in different neighbourhoods in Delhi. There were also mikes, allowing real time interaction between the people in front of the camera. Depending on where the cameras were placed, this led to very interesting conversations among the people involved. This was local reality tv with a twist…
I’m not sure of the inspirations or provocations behind their works. But they certainly are doing some fairly interesting stuff.
2 comments:
I'm not a big fan of installation art as such but I came across something called the Telectroscope (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2009641/The-Telectroscope,-London%27s-window-on-New-York.html) in London which really caught one's imagination!
Well frankly, neither am I, but that may be because I haven't come across much good installation art. And that in turn maybe because I'm not exactly up to date with the art scene... Though I did find Ashok's works appealing, for their public and interactive nature, and for their approachability. I'm tired of the 'high' art residing in art galleries that open from 9-6 on weekdays... as if they weren't already beyond the cognitive (if that's the relevant word) abilities of the common working man, its also physically beyond reach... I've often had time only on weekends, and missed stuff that I wanted to see.
But his kind of work is public, and consequently, simple. Like the Telectroscope. Nice!
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