18-Feb-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 ninth panel discussion of ‘Art Matters’, titled ‘Classical in Our Time’ featuring Ratan Thiyam, Yashodhara Dalmia, Purushottam Agrawal and Leela Venkatraman.
Ratan Thiyam is an Indian playwright and theatre director, and the winner of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987, one of leading figures of the "theatre of roots" movement in Indian theatre, which started in the 1970s. Also known as Thiyam Nemai, Ratan Thiyam is known for writing and staging plays that use ancient Indian theatre traditions and forms in a contemporary context. A former painter, and proficient in direction, design, script and music, Thiyam is often considered one of leading contemporary theatre gurus. Presently he is working as Chairperson of prestigious National School of Drama. He had also worked as Vice-Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi before joining NSD. He has also worked as Director of National School of Drama from 1987 to 1989. He is also the founder-director of 'Chorus Repertory Theatre', formed on the outskirts of Imphal, Manipur in 1976. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in Direction in 1987, given by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, and the Padma Shri given by Government of India in 1989. He was awarded the 2012 Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour in the performing arts conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama. In the year 2013, Ratan Thiyam receives honorary D.lit from Assam University, Silchar.
Yashodhara Dalmia is an art historian and independent curator based in New Delhi. Her book The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressivesis regarded as a definitive account of a seminal phase of Indian art. Among her other publications is Journeys: Four Generations of Indian Artists (2011). She has also written several essays, articles and reviews on contemporary Indian art.When the National Gallery of Modern Art opened in Mumbai in December 1996, Dalmia curated the inaugural exhibition titled The Moderns, which featured 200 works by twelve greats of modern Indian art, including Francis Newton Souza, M.F. Husain and Tyeb Mehta. In September 2010, Dalmia curated a major show of contemporary Indian artists titled Indian (Sub)Way at the Grosvenor Vadehra gallery in London. In January 2011, she curated the show Tyeb Mehta:Triumph of Vision in Delhi, which consisted of unseen paintings by the artist, including his magnificent last work. Currently she is involved in a project on South Asian art.
Purushottam Agrawal was born in the city of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, on August 25, 1955. He is a M.A. (Masters of Arts) in Political Science, 1977 from Jiwaji University, Gwalior and in Hindi Literature, 1979 from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He was awarded a PhD degree by Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1985 on the topic of The Social Meaning of Kabir's Bhakti under the supervision of Prof. Namwar Singh. He is a former chairman of the following places: Center of Indian Languages, School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Chief Advisor, Hindi textbooks (classes VI-XII), NCERT, New Delhi (2005–07), He taught at Ramjas College, University of Delhi (1982–90), served as Associate Professor, Center of Indian Languages, JNU (1990–2003). Professor of Hindi literature, Center of Indian Languages, School of Languages, Literature and Culture Studies (SLLCS), JNU (2003–07). He was a British Academy Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Cambridge University and a Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge University, United Kingdom in 2002. He has also served as a visiting professor at the El Colegio de Mexico (National College of Mexico, Mexico City) during May–July 2002. He has served as Chief Advisor (2003–06) of the 'Peaceful co-existence in South Asia' project of the Aman Trust, Delhi. As a consultant to Oxfam, India (1998–2002), he organized interfaces of scholars, creative artists and social activists as part of the Violence Amelioration and Mitigation Project (VMAP). Of particular value have been the interfaces between Kabir-panthis and the scholars of Kabir, and conferences on the question of social identities and a dialogue on Spirituality without Religion. His writings have been included in a course called 'Public intellectuals of India' offered by the College of Mexico, Mexico City. Between 2 July 2007 – July 2013 he was a member of the Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi.
Leela Venkataraman obtained her Bachelor’s degree in arts from Agra University. She was also trained in Kathak dance in Bangalore under Shri H.R. Keshava Murthy, a disciple of Shri Sohan Lal of the Jaipur gharana. Over the past three decades Leela Venkataraman has made a notable contribution to the Indian performing arts as a critic and writer on Indian dance. She has been associated with The Hindu, National Herald and Patriot as a columnist. She has gained wide renown as a dance critic. Shrimati Venkataraman has several publications to her credit including Tradition in Transition, and Step by Step Bharatanatyam. Her book on Indian dances is currently under publication by the Children’s Book Trust. Bharatanatyam — a series of articles based on thirty-four television episodes — is also under print as a Doordarshan archives publication. She has participated in prestigious dance seminars and workshops abroad, including a Bharatanatyam Seminar on Diaspora in Chicago; the Odissi Festival and Seminar in Washington (and Malaysia); the International Kathak Seminar and Festival in Chicago; and the Biennale de la Danse in Lyons, France. In recognition of her work as a dance writer, Shrimati Venkataraman has been honoured with several awards which include the Lifetime Achievement Award conferred by the Lalit Kala Akademi of Mysore (2003), the award of the Deba Prasad Dance Institute (2006); the Nritya Shiromani given by IPAP, U.S.A. (2004); the Award of Excellence in Dance Journalism conferred by the Karthik Fine Arts Sabha of Chennai (2008); and the Award of the Shaila Sudha Academy for Excellence in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dance (2009). Shrimati Leela Vekataraman receives the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for her overall contribution to the performing arts.
The event was organised at the Indian International Centre on 25th of February 2013.