From the ‘Concerns’ Desk ... October 2007

The month of September presented us with a few great things.

Christies and Sotheby’s auctions results have once again raised the value of Indian contemporary art.

India won the Twenty Twenty Cricket match against arch rival Pakistan in South Africa.

Prasant Tamang won the Indian Idol contest bringing pride to the Gorkha-Nepali community in India. Also the runner up Amit Paul could dissolve the community strife between the ‘dakars’ and the natives in Meghalaya. Together they have made the North-East proud.

Where are the artists from the North East? Are they not there or are we forgetting to acknowledge them? If Tamangs and Pauls could make India listen to their voice, there would be many from the same regions to make India see their works of art.

Central Lalit Kala Akademy has been doing a lot of work in this region for the last few years. As the state owned academies have their inherent problems, these camps and workshops often go unnoticed or fail to generate desired results. It is high time that the curators take an added interest in this region. It is not about patronizing but it is about acknowledging.

Indian art, pitted against the Chinese art, is still trailing. Perhaps, the artists who live and work closer to the Chinese territories have more things to say about this. Let us go ahead and see what they have to say and show.

So many rivers to cross…and Indian curators are capable enough to do that. Let us wish them all the best.

Regards

JohnyML