In conversation with
KIPAF: Recollections and Reflections.
Submitted by
Zooni Tickoo
(was previously published here : http://understandingperformance.blogspot.in/2014/08/in-conversation-with-kipaf.html )
The AnecDOTes session with Performers Independent or
Pi had Rahul Bhattachrya and Anirban talking about their journey for the last
two years and more. They were invited to talk about “Creating Platforms:
Experiments in Cooperation”. Performers
Independent describes themselves as “independent
artists' collective, experimenting and exploring the traditional, modernist and
contemporary spaces in the cultural paradigm”. By their own definitions, they
intend to create a space, a corner for performers who want to make art and performances
with bare minimum availabilities. With this aim, Kolkata International
Performance Art Festival (KIPAF) got instated as an accessible platform for
artists from all genres, from local to international. In this session with AnecDOTes,
Rahul and Anirban began to talk about KIPAF after donning dark tinted
sunglasses inside the gallery space, in effect setting them apart as performing
entities demanding attention. But this position kept itself fluid, as
throughout the session they kept wearing them on and off, perhaps wanting to
bring about a sense of alienation within the audience. Nevertheless, both the
presenters took turns to talk and explain, completing each other whenever
needed. However, gladly there were a couple of other KIPAF participants from
amongst the listeners present who significantly contributed to the discussion.
They began by elaborating that the intentions behind
a project like KIPAF also revolved around allowing artists to indulge in their
very quirky yet immediate artistic voices, to execute their preliminary plans
or to shape them further. Anirban stated that with regards to Performance Art,
one can simply use words like “blah blah blah” and that can in fact be the
answer to it. But this did not serve much in realizing a festival or even as an
event. Therefore, continues Rahul, that he noticed in Kolkata itself, there
were numerous activities going on in the performance arena. It was here that Pi
felt that an attempt to give “structure” to these activities was needed. Also
then, Kolkata becomes an ideal location, as Rahul genuinely felt that circles
of Performance Art had largely become concentrated in gallery spaces of Delhi
Anirban explains further that there is no corporate funding
involved in KIPAF. They collect money
from localities, or self fund the events. It may look like anarchic, he
remarks, but it is not. Both maintain that they are doing things in art but
with alternative means. For example, Rahul adds, the organizer may ask the
participating audience to walk the whole evening to the destination space, in
anticipation of a performance event, but in fact that walk itself would be the performance
work. He believes that these interventions “contest the idea of contemporary”.
PI as an organization maybe does not totally defend the idea of “utopia” but it
explores to create other means and ways in art. This is further given shape in
their Web link with vernacular writing reports in Bengali. The purpose, Rahul
explains, was to “decentralize” the idea of performance art. Also they wanted
to explore how documentation of the art works can follow these new
trajectories, through, “sound memories” or through vernacular blogs, etc.
Anirban adds that the design and
the dynamics of KIPAF is open. So, many theatrical groups come along to
participate, but they rightfully gain their space in KIPAF through practice and
then feedback.
At this juncture in the
session, Rahul led the discussion open for former participants to include their
views. He especially asked performance artist Inder Salim to express what his
experience was after he participated in KIPAF 2014. Before he began , Inder
thanked KIPAF or inviting him, and he recognized that two of his important
works took shape only at KIPAF. But Inder on his part had several interjections
to make to Rahul and Anirban. He felt as an artist some of his observation
soured the overall experience for him. He pointed out that mainly during the
festival there were some “obstructions” created by organizers themselves. His frank
and foremost complaint was regarding some “un-professional” attitudes towards
other participants and the events scheduled as he pointed out such experience. The
fact that artists from far and away had come to be involved at this festival,
completely on their own, was not well respected. Furthermore he noted another
fellow artist’s statement regarding “Performance Art is Dead” and added that it
was “absurd” to declare such statements when in fact the artist community in
Indian subcontinent have not exhausted even it’s beginning.
Inder went on to add that
when the aim is to give Performance Art activity a shape or a structure, thus
it becomes inevitable that some definitions and guidelines be laid out in the
beginning itself. Also, he felt it
becomes pertinent that Performance Art must shake or disturb the existing order
by having genuine questions and serious approach. At the moment, he expressed
doubts on this front regarding KIPAF but accepted that being in nascent stages
the festival has immense scope for growth.
Samudra too interjected the
discussion by stating that the autonomous energy to begin with is good but
there must be some goals, explicit or not, that the festival should strive to
achieve. Also he felt that the idea of
the vernacular that has been stated does not seem to be fully in execution
since most of the participant artists are from the mainstream. To this, Rahul responded in agreement. He
shared with the audience that brainstorming on similar lines has already taken
place. Therefore, in KIPAF 15 there may be a curated section where some
well-known art practitioners shall be invited. This, he confessed is a
strategic necessity as the local media needs be involved in publicizing the
events so as to disseminate the acts and motives of KIPAF to larger audiences
and readers. Then there is an open-call for young practitioners from all around
to send their proposals so as to integrate fresh works and perspectives.
The monetary angle of the
festival raised several questions from Inder who lamented that KIPAF must rise
above the influences of leftist trends typical in Kolkata. He clearly pointed
out that “Left as a straight-jacketed strategy” does not work. Otherwise, he
added, it would be a great loss to witness KIPAF follow the fate of
organizations which aligns themselves towards more political rather than
artistic. He suggested some examples of Sarai and SAHMAT, that in the present
situation and times, one has to subvert the idea of funding agencies by using
their funds while still being able to continue with similar performance motives.
Both Rahul and Anirban claimed in agreement that they were in fact looking
forward to local patronage and the doors for monetary assistance are of course
open.
Samudra, at this point wanted
to know about the problems of performance art that PI had encountered in the
previous two years. There was also an interest in knowing how KIPAF would
handle explicitly subversive acts like stripping or nude performances. Rahul replied
that usually they don’t work by procuring top-down permissions from local
police, that is why they get local community involved. Towards the end of the
discussion, some music could still be heard within the audiences as Pervez
Imam, artist/film-maker wondered about the contradictions inherent in the
design of the festival. He noticed that the organizers somehow aim towards
guerilla performance events, and yet require funds and structure to accommodate
the art and artists. Then perhaps a lot of re-thinking about several
practicalities need to be done, at conception level itself. Most of the
discussion then focused on KIPAF’s structural debates regarding ideology, goals
and experiences. However, the works of artist participants over the past two
years were not touched upon greatly. Reflecting over all the suggestions above,
the session culminated with promise of an upcoming KIPAF 2015 along with improved
work over propositions raised in the discussion.
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