16-Jul-2013 12:00 AM
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The contemporary times stand witness to a constant deterioration of meaning of art and manipulation of theoretical social and political concepts as well as their practical significance. Whether they are questions as serious as social and political concerns of human rights or social exclusion affecting a dignified human survival, or as sensitive as the waning of interest in classical art forms, they call for an urgent need to revisit and discuss the prevalent conceptions.
Art has its unique way of reviving our soul from deadening monotonous routines through its multiple intricate expressions. Forming a singular perception of art or attributing a definitive meaning to it often reduces art from its fascinating complexity and expressive charm. This reductive approach confines art to its modernist understanding, which then fails to take cognizance of the artistic abstraction expressed through different forms and styles.
The Raza Foundation through its series ‘Art Matters’ provides a platform for open discussion on such issues. It endeavors not only to release the true essence of art from the clutches of definitive modernist approach in order to grasp myriad ways of extolling art, but also to stir up debate on the changing meanings of social and political theoretical concepts like rights, justice, liberty, citizenship, etc. Well known, renowned scholars and practitioners from all the diverse fields of arts, dance, music, social science, poetry, and so on are invited for this purpose.
Here, we publish the tewelth panel discussion of ‘Art Matters’, titled ‘We and They’ featuring B. N. Goswamy, Neelam Mansingh, Aruna Vasudev and Sures K. Goyal.
Brijinder Nath Goswamy is an Indian art critic, art historian and a former vice chairman of the Sarabhai Foundation of Ahmedabad, which runs the Calico Museum of Textiles. Goswamy is best known for his scholarship on Pahari painting and Indian miniature paintings.
Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry is a Chandigarh-based theatre artist. Her professional journey was ‘lonely’ and one which has been filled with difficulties. She was awarded the 2003 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the Theatre Direction category. She is also the recipient of the 2011 Padma Shri Award.
Aruna Vasudev is an Indian critic, author, editor, painter, maker of documentaries and is considered an eminent scholar on Asian cinema. She has also been described as the mother of Asian Cinema.
The event was organised at the Indian International Centre on 23rd of July 2013.