Renewed Intensity, A Public Art and Site-specific Art Workshop, On the occasion of the silver jubilee celebration of BK College of Art & Crafts

Renewed Intensity

A Public Art and Site-specific Art Workshop

On the occasion of the silver jubilee celebration of BK College of Art & Crafts, we are attempting to broaden our own horizons by re-introducing some of young and talented artists who are earlier graduates and have earned recognition. Some guest artists are also participating the event by invitation.

The city of Bhubaneswar has become a busy metropolis where both modern and traditional art and culture co-mingle. It has undergone vast developmental changes, shifting the historical & ecological map of the city in the last few years. The point here is to understand the coexistence of the past and the present.

‘Renewed Intensity’ is an idea to bring back serious passion and attitude towards a new art form, public and site specific art. Worth noting inherent in local culture lies this notion. This is first of such a workshop that we have planned: where artists will create the works with multiple approaches and u different medium, exploring art out of unconventional forms or ideas. It will also explore the possibility of varied aesthetic influences and expressions based on Interactive, Performance, Installation and so on. These artistic activates will attempt to understand inter-relationship of nature, culture, city, politics, fictional text and vital inner life. This workshop will create an environment of diverse art forms for the new viewer/audience. In these eight days, artists will produce art works in relationship between ecology and art in public spaces.

While engaged in the workshop, the participating artists will respond to collective cultural needs, developing active roles in environmental and social issues. Some artists will focus on the role of art in encouraging ecological awareness and social activism amongst local people. We sincerely hope our efforts will bring about a constructive change in the art situation in Odisha.

Jagannath Panda

Public art fits a much broader definition than art in a gallery or a museum. In simple terms, public art is any work of art or design that is created by an artist specifically to be sited in a public space. It can tower several stories high, or it can call attention to the pavement beneath your feet. It can be cast, carved, built, assembled or painted. Whatever its form, public art attracts attention. By its presence alone public art can heighten our awareness, question our assumptions, transform a landscape, or express community values, and for these reasons it can have the power, over time to transform a city’s image. Public art helps define an entire community’s identity and reveal the unique character of a specific neighborhood. It is a unifying force.

The impact of public art on a community is priceless and immeasurable and once experienced it only appreciates. Public art has the power to energize our public spaces, arouse our thinking, and transform the places where we live, work, and play into more welcoming and beautiful environments that invite interaction. It enhances the quality of life by encouraging a heightened sense of place and by introducing people to works of art that can touch them and generations to come.

Site-specific art is artwork created to exist in a certain place. Typically, the artist takes the location into account while planning and creating the artwork.

More broadly, the term is sometimes used for any work that is (more or less) permanently attached to a particular location. In this sense, a building with interesting architecture could be considered a piece of site-specific art.

In 1966 Robert Barry said:

“(site installation) is made to suit the place in which it was installed. They cannot be moved without being destroyed.”

In 1989 Richard Serra said:

“The works become part of the site and restructure both conceptually and perceptually the organization of the site.”

But later, the concept and relevance of the artwork in relation to the site have evolved.

The artwork in a specific site still explores themes and relationships with its surroundings. However its site can be moved and the artwork can still be relevant.

It’s a battle between ‘what is Public Art’ and ‘what is Site Specific Art’. The art can become site relevant in a conceptual way, yet it doesn’t have to be physically nailed to that exact place. The concept plays a big part, because it can be a very wide subject/theme, which could be relevant in many places. Most importantly it involves the viewer of the work, as they are present on this ’site’. Site Specific Art then becomes audience relevant.

But, this workshop intend not to define the meaning of the terms but more relevant to the celebration and prepare and produce work of art along with the community.

Participating Artists:

Guest:

Paribartana Mohanty (Delhi)

Prateek Sagar (Delhi)

Alumni of BKCAC:

Sujit Mallick (Delhi)

Sudarsan Biswal (Delhi)

Veejayant Dash (Bhubaneswar)

Assisted by

Satyabhama Majhi,

Samarjeet Behera,

Niroj Satpathy,

Satyajeet Das

Nityananda Ojha (Baroda)

Anjan Kumar Sahoo (Bhubaneswar)

Bujing Rao (Bhubaneswar)

Kanta Kishor Moharana(Bhubaneswar)

Assisted by

Smrutisai Mishra,

Manas Moharana,

Somnath Rout

Sambit Panda (Delhi)

Helen Brahma (Bhubaneswar)

Information:

Activity: Public Art and Site-specific Workshop

Commemorating Silver Jubilee Celebration of B.K. College of Art and Crafts (BKCAC)

Concept: “Renewed Intensity”

Date: From 20th to 27th January 2010

Artist Presentation: 25th January 2010 at 5.00 pm

Initiator: Dr. Pradosh Mishra

Chief Guest: Prof, Deba Patnaik and Dr. Dinanath Pathy

Guest of Honor: Ramakrishna Vedala,Ramahari Jena, Adewata Gadanayak

Public Display: 26th to 27th January 2010, 11am to 8pm

Venue: Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre, Unit III, Bhubaneswar,

Coordinators: Sudershan Biswal, Veejayant Dash, Pradosh Mishra, Ashok Nayak, Anjan Shaoo,

Curator Jagannath Panda

He keenly observes the highs and lows of a fast changing society and expresses them either on canvas or other media

London’s Alexia Goethe Gallery presents a solo exhibition of recent works by Jagannath Panda. His realism tends to believe and reside in the existence of Fantasy. In a single creation, the artist within the high rise apartment blocks of the burgeoning India can posit the existence of stylized gods, apparently culled from the old palm leaf manuscripts of his home state.

Assemblage and Collage get divorced from their Surrealist patrimony. His subject matter and ideas are often sourced from the events that unfold around him. As part of his creative churning, the commonplace object acquires symbolic stature, representing aspirations or even rigid dogmas. Environmental and social issues greatly concern this socially aware artist.

Elaborating on his art practice, he mentions: “I’m aware of the fragility of coexistence and also the fact that physical and emotional spaces sometimes act like quicksand.” The ironies of life visible in his surroundings greatly interest him and the unanswered questions arouse his curiosity.

Acting as both mirror and memory, they store preconceived meanings and reflect a contradictory reality that has always intrigued him. He keenly observes the highs and lows of a fast changing society and expresses them either on canvas or other media, drawing on the ambiguities of contemporary life. He states, “You can understand life in many different directions, and that is what I want to paint.”

His deceptively simple visual imagery consists of linear drawing and/or a rendered form or two that appear to float on the surface. Though his drawings are realistic, he refrains from offering a direct reference to the subject’s existence. On occasions he employs tracing sheets, silver foil and thread, to emphasis the reality of the material he uses. Color plays a limited albeit vital role of highlighting form.

My College, My City and My State by Jagannath Panda

Jagannath Panda, Bhubaneswar 2008
Today the field of art has become so vast that medium is no longer a barrier for an artist. Now art is not limited to conventional art and craft. Contemporary artists are versatile. They are adept at every type of art including canvas painting, video art (narrative and non-narrative) and sculpture (stone, wood, fibre, glass, etc).But as far as opportunities for artists are concerned, the scenario is bleak in Orissa.

The government is least bothered about art students' future so talented artists cannot go abroad for higher studies. If you're a traditional artist, somehow you'll survive here but if you're a modern artist you won't. Serious practice of art is missing here which forces good artists to migrate to other cities.Like, after completing graduation from BK College of Art here in 1991, I studied post-graduation in fine arts in MS University, Baroda. Then I moved to Delhi in 1995 and started practicing as an artist. Then again I went to London in 2002 to pursue MA in Royal College of Art by achieving INLAKS foundation scholarship. After returning from UK, I set up my own studio in Gurgaon. Had such facilities been here I would have preferred to stay in Orissa. My dream is to develop Bhubaneswar as a global hub for artists where international-level artists would come and interact with local artists. When it comes to contemporary art and new research in the field, we need an up-to-date centre having a library and facilities for holding workshops and events here. Now I am trying to develop a state of the art studio in Bhubaneswar and hopefully it'll come up within next few years.

'Gandhi's ideas have always influenced my work. His phylosophy always gives me the opportunity to create works for society, I thought I would explore Gandhi's physicality and philosophy against contemporary, urban structures by juxtaposing Gandhian idealism or optimism with darker reality,' Jagannath Panda said.New Delhi has become a kind of place for artists from across the country and to work here is not only a challenge but also a privilege. Art is a very important segment. Artists contribute considerably for development of the aesthetic culture of a state. History says, governments or connoisseurs of art did always patronage artists.Times are changing, so also the mindset of people as well as government towards art. A case in point is beautification of Bhubaneswar. It shows the positive attitude of the government which has started giving priority to art and heritage. But we need to deal with such things delicately. Some serious intellectuals, architects, designers and artists should have been involved it, to make it a planned and better way like Bindusagar.But job opportunities for artists are very poor in Orissa. Small jobs like screen painting, design units and part-time jobs are only available. In the last quarter of 80's art teachers' posts were abolished. Lectureship is deemed to be the best job in our field but new colleges are not being set up and posts are not created, neither vacancies are filled up. Even if foreigners are visiting regularly Orissa only through this beautiful city Bhubaneswar and in the name of beautification people are just giving it a more and more ugly look, our city will say all about us, if a visitor comes from outside. That so we guys who are passed out from B.K.College have formed an oranigation named AlumniBKCAC. We all has a dream to bring our college, city and state in national and global platform regularly.We are planed out some initial projects , one can find by browsing alumnibkcac.org.

There are six to seven art colleges in Orissa, out of which only two are government. There is not a single art university here, I will never admit this culture university as an university. I have abashed when visited it recently, nothing is there to claim as an university. Existing colleges need to be upgraded, global model should be adopted in art education. Facilities, infrastructure should be upgraded in art institutions. Time to time evaluation should be done to improve curriculum. Aesthetic art, architecture, design and craft should be properly presented. Serious institutions should be there to promote local art and craft. Local aesthetics, local culture should be taught to students at school-level. School students should be imbibed these things.The government should give a serious look into this in view of the fact that demand is rising in the field and more students are opting for art as a career.

Jagannath Panda is an alumni of BKCAC and he is working as
Vice President in organization.

AlumniBKCAC

http://www.alumnibkcac.org/