Highlighting local issues

‘Arteast’, with exemplary works from Northeast, tries to bring attention to the potential and concerns of the region to the rest of the nation

Art in a sense may not be able to change anything in the eye of the storm but it does and must bear witness. National Foundation for India (NFI), a social justice philanthropic institution that has nurtured several civil society initiatives across India’s Northeast and the rest of the country also believes in bearing witness.

Given that NFI is completing 25 years of its civil society strengthening work, ‘Arteast,’ an initiative of NFI in collaboration with India International Centre (IIC), The Sasakawa Peace Foundation and Ourstories will be raising pertinent questions through a series of engagements on art, livelihood, social justice, climate change, communication, history, past and present; issues that have a far reaching impact on everyday life of people and of the nation.

Preparations for ‘Arteast’ 2017, a first of its kind festival on art and livelihood, migration and displacement are underway – artists, musicians, writers and members of the civil society are traveling to Delhi, from the Majuli island on the Brahmaputra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Kolkata and Mumbai for the festival which will be held on March 24 and 25.

The highlight of this festival is Majuli around which ‘Arteast’ will feature a film and two art installations on March 24 and 25 respectively. This riverine island and its challenges has remained NFI’S focus since the last twenty years. The Film, Majuli – Land between Two

Rivers by Parasher Baruah, explores the challenges in preserving the island physically and its culture of mask making that is as threatened as the island itself. A searing narrative of the survival of art and life itself, told through masked characters drawn from mythology.

And besides the fountains at IIC, an exhibition, depicting the home- lessness of the people of Majuli with relentless erosion and loss of livelihood would be displayed through water installations.

Some of the other exhibitions are: Ebb and Flow: Migration, masks and River Stories

Mask-makers and artists from Majuli, the world’s biggest inhabited river island will demonstrate their craft through installations and workshops. Central to their artistic approach is the performative aspect of masks. The exhibition will be on view from March 24 till 25, starting from 11 am till 7 pm at the Gandhi-king Plaza.

Roots: Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya

A photo essay documented by Ian Lyngdoh. Bridges in East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya are not built but grown. The photo essay at the Quadrangle Garden from March 24 to 30 shows how villages in Meghalaya use traditional knowledge to engineer a unique bridge building art with living roots of rubber trees.

Tectonic Live

An exhibition of paintings and puppets by Jimmy Chishi which explores the architecture of forms mimicking human movement and inspired by the constructing powers in nature as well as architecture. It attempts to capture the multi-facetedness of living, which is passive and active, organic and inorganic. The work which will be on view from March 24 till the end of the month is inspired by the aesthetics of Bauhaus and traditional Naga renderings.

Faces

‘Every face has a story’ is a bit of a cliché, but every face does tell a story. This series of 10 portraits in charcoal made with photographic references is part of an ongoing project by Joydeep Choudhury to document faces from more than 200 ethnic communities in India’s Northeast and map the region through faces.

Mukhabhaona

A traditional mask theatre/dance performance by the mask-makers of Majuli; the mukha or mask is an important component of the bhaona – a traditional form of entertainment with a religious message. The performance is a tribute to development activist, Sanjoyghose.

‘Arteast’ is a product of NFI’S interventions and investment in India’s northeast region under the NE desk headed by its director Dr Monica Banerjee. NFI has seeded and supported around forty voluntary organisations around constructive work, given fellowships to some 70 journalists, offered capacity building support to youth working towards community development in conflict ridden areas of northeast. The aim has all along been to strengthen civil society – one that appreciates and assimilates diversity and is not given to polarisation. It is this premise for a plural society wherein lies the fundamentals of people-centric good governance. Through this festival the collaborators wanted to bring the potentials and concerns of the region to the consciousness of public in Delhi.