Opening of the Art Adda

After a lot of preparation we were extremely excited to open our project Art Adda and try to make unique space for artist in one broken marriage hall. Opening happened on 12th April afternoon with the performance Power play by Jeetin Rangher

On Bellary road in front of Vinayaka Kalyana Mantapa at first there was less people just some friends and art lovers, but soon as first performance started crowd gathered inviting more people to stop and take a glimpse what is now happening at this usually abandoned space. Power play main concept was  to engage local public in a simple game of wrestling hands. With a little twist of using three masks one golden that represents jealousy, one black for love one white for hate,which people wear during the performance.

Idea was to invite us to think about different kinds and motifs for power play which happens daily in our life, weather it is government or our boss. Involving masks and emotions take us to the next level of the performance, where people wanted to chose golden mask but it was jealousy and when the wanted love it was a black mask which wasn't so attractive to them...Each mask was without openings for the eyes since weather is hate, love or jealousy it can make us blind.

Experience for each participant was different especially since they weren't aware with whom they are wrestling hands. 

Even one old guy which came to the crowd begging ended up joining the performance.

Our main goal to gather local people around art or in different words to bring closer art to the public was accomplished with first performance at Art Adda opening.

Performance ended with Jeetin Rangher putting all the masks on his head and going inside marriage hall removing them and leaving inside the broken space full of different memories and broken feelings.

After a stop for a cup of tea we started with performance Shringgar by Katarina Rasic and Jeetin Rangher.

Everything is set up for start and people is now curious looking forward for what is going to happen next.

Katarina starts reciting a poem Reminiscences by Meghana written especially for our project. Simultaneously Jeetin is putting make up on her face and she is removing the same.

Here is the poem.

Reminiscences...

Colors of the rainbow,Shine of the Stars

Awe inspiring royalty,celebrations galore,

A hand tied in the other in a bond

In it nestled is a life of a new born

It wishes to take flight to an adorned sky

And I tie to its feather a blessing and a sigh

I rejoice in my pride, to have pampered the new life

And bask in the anticipation of another new spring

But there came a thunder storm so strong

It defaced the world of bliss studded with hopes and desires

The rain pelted down heavily shattering all dreams

And a claw from the dark stole the precious memoirs

I now lie,ripped apart,victim of an ogre I cannot triumph

I see only despair, a few glances of compassion

A curious intruder and a frown of discontent

Only scars now vandalize the illustrious splendor

I lie flightless, with a broken wing refusing a repair

Only fragments of a once celebrated history

Reminiscences of a fading glory.

Meghana Raviprakash

Concept of the performance is to show constant change,ruining and the our aim to revive it trough art. Katarina took the roll of the space which was beautiful marriage hall decorated and shiny and throughout years it was ruined..

Simultaneously she was applying make up on one mask as well.

Katarina went into the space where she left the mask in memorial to the years past and washed the face showing our goal to renew this space trough art.

Next performance we were looking forward was by Bhuwanesh Kumar called Story of the unsuccessful marriage in ruined Vinayaka Kalyana Mantapa.

He blindfolded his eyes and started telling us a story..

                      

In the end the candle was shut as the light was taken away from this space.

Dimple B Shah started with her performance Conversation with the darkness which involved coal shop which is situated in the one part of the marriage hall building. 

Through this performance audience and I will relate to coal in Philosophical, Spiritual and Environmental context-says Dimple B Shah.

She covered herself with coal, contemplating in it s darkness. In sometime she discovered herself to the public lit a fire as an energy source and started sharing knowledge about the coal. 

It was a great day full of events and we are looking forward to new performances in Art Adda..