From the workshop

"Time to draw a line"

Fine Arts Faculty, Baroda recently witnessed a unique art workshop. Conducted by the noted artist Vivan Sundaram, the works created by the workshop participants were buried or ‘cremated’ in order to defy the notions of authorship and authority. Senior art history student Abhiram Poduval features this symbolic act.

"Revolution is made by man, but a man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day", said the most inspiring Latin American hero and the great symbol of revolution of all times, Ernesto Che Guevara. The students of faculty of fine arts Baroda are really forging the spirit of their own struggle in various ways. On the eve of 14th August when the nation was stepping into the celebrations of it's "60 th anniversary of glorious independence" the students here were showing the spirit of its own resistance.

It was the end of a 40 hours long marathon drawing workshop, conducted by noted artist Vivan Sundaram, dedicated to his 'dost' as he calls, late Bhupen Khakar and the eminent artist  late Nasreen Muhammedi . Students and whosoever participated in the workshop buried their creative drawings in a grave, while some people set fire to them. Sensing trouble and with an insatiable thirst for ‘new bytes’ the media, as usual were around the campus even at midnight. Students and artists, thus contributed their version of patriotism by lighting up a new flame of artistic resistance.

Vivan Sundaram and Vasudevan Akkitham with participants

This historic struggle that lasted for three months (still on in various forms) has changed the students and faculty members a bit. Though the protest has been temporarily withdrawn by the students, welcoming the historical move by the Honorable Governor of Gujarat Mr. Naval Kishore Shama, who took a very keen interest in the matter and had appointed a fact finding committee including eminent artist and art critic Haku Shah, distinguished economist and former Vice Chancellor of J N U DELHI Mr.Y S Alagh and Gujarath Vidhyapith Vice Chancellor Dr. Sudarshan Iyenkar, the students are not yet in the quarter of normalcy.

Struggles need to find new ways of expressions. Hence the students found out novel ways of agitation that suits to their life style. They started thinking of parallel academic exercises, workshops and theatre performances. One of the alumni Shathrugnan Takhore came forward with an exciting workshop of natural dye on canvas which contained inspiring poems from Pasha and so on. Thus really switching themselves into a day to day defiant mode, students filled the empty white walls of the campus with huge murals which almost changed the facades into a zone of graffiti.  "When the goes gets tough, then the tough gets go'', one of the graffiti says. Followed by this, another alumnus from art history department, Samudra, conducted a theatre workshop and concluded it by a marvelous interactive play in the campus.

These activities brought it many of the senior artists and activists to the scene. Initiated by the Head of the Painting Department, Vasudevan Akkitham and executed by the large number of students of the faculty, regardless the departments, a marathon drawing workshop was conducted by Vivan Sundaramn. It is heard that he himself had conceded all the expenses of the workshop. For the students it was anyway a great opportunity for participating in such a historical and unique form of art exercise. Students did explore their notions of expression in their own manner, which were even evident when they all went out to destroy the drawings. The amount of energy and aggressiveness that they showed makes it clear that they are craving for a change. "The agitation so far has found its various extents in the areas of creativity. This workshop intended to be one more marker to bring people together" Vivan said.   "Students energy is stronger then any others. We should resist all actions against academic freedom. Students must have the freedom to express even mistakes," he added. The workshop eventually turned into many people's individual theatre of war. Rehima, one of the alumni from Art History department and now an activist in Baroda, performed her own confrontation with her cultural and physical identity through 'my body is not a squire'.
 
Owing much credit to the idea of a nonstop day and night work podium, a memorable crowd gathered in the workshop throughout. The crowd sat through the workshop to witness the destruction of the art works created during the workshop and the debate that followed it. The walls were filled with black charcoal drawings narrating the mighty tale of endless struggles. Some of them portrayed the struggle, some their own revelations. "What is the purpose of this workshop?" a student asked Vivan directly. Soon after he got a satisfied answer (as we think) and also received the message that one must destroy the works in a systematic manner so as to confront the idea of authorship and sophistication in art, the boy darted the second question, "what if one wants to preserve it"? With a slight smile on his face Vivan said, "I hope we will not allow him or her to do so". Not so surprising it was, if one looked at the camera team brought by Vivan to document and preserve the procedures (who will destroy them?).

Shivji Pannikar is still under suspension. He is still banned from entering the university premise. He too had a glimpse of the events, standing in front of the gate outside the faculty. Strange!!! People who worked for the faculty for 30 years cannot enter the premise. Eccentric reward! Who brought this fate to us? Who is the evil that has to be defeated? Identifying your enemy is the toughest task in the neo-liberal present. "When injustice becomes the law resistance should be our lifestyle"

Time is apt, to say, as Jyoti Bhatt said during the event of inauguration of the workshop; "time to draw a line not to say anything". Also let us remember what James Hughes had said, “Creativity is achieved when possibilities, social milieu, problems, skill and personalities come together".