Art as a catalyst
Understanding the philosophy behind the BAP III, a public art initiative in Barbil, Odisha.
Arpita Akhanda an installation and performance artist and one of the participating artists in conversation with Utsha Foundation Director, Artist Jagannath Panda & Artist and BAP III, Curator Ushmita Sahu
Current contemporary art practices often alienate the general public, especially those who do not have a background or prior knowledge of the rapidly changing art scenario. The gap between artist and viewer has steadily increased despite art fairs and biennales. The situation, therefore, heralds a valid reassessment on how to reduce the gap and bring back art viewership. One such possible answer lies in art practices that function outside the studio/white cube sector. Different approaches such as interactive art, public art, workshops and collaborations are topical ways to make art an immersive experience for the community/masses.
Such an interactive art project with the object of reaching out to people of a non-art background was organised by UTSHA Foundation, a brainchild of eminent artist Jagannath Panda in collaboration with Arya Group Foundation (AGF) and supported by Arya Iron and Steel Company Pvt.Ltd (AISCO) from 4th to 10thDecember 2017 at Barbil, a small ironmining town situated in the Kendhujhar district of Odisha. The Barbil Art Project –III 2017 -Tales from the Land, a seven-day community based experimental art workshop, was curated by Ushmita Sahu, an artist, writer and independent curator based in Santiniketan. The third of the series, this time the project focused on the motto Gain knowledge to share knowledge1. Interestingly, this sleepy mining town came alive with art-related activities for a week. Artists from different states, disciplines and backgrounds both conventional and non-conventional such as painting, drawing, alternative photography, theatre and performance, video art, printmaking, papermaking, sculpture and installations came together, explored, interacted and created a dialogue with the site and the local communities of Barbil to explore the idea of Art as a catalyst of change within non-art related communities.
Arpita Akhanda: Jagannath and Ushmita thank you for agreeing to do this interview. I speak for all the artists when I say that the Barbil Art Project was a great learning experience. My first question is for Jagannath. What influenced you to generate this kind of an experimental community-based project and how did the Arya Group get involved with UTSHA on this artistic ride?
Jagannath Panda: Contemporary Indian art now is coming out of the studio/gallery into the open and establishing a direct contact between art, the local communities and artists. So art is slowly becoming a medium to bring the community together and as a result, it creates a direct impact on the society. In 2008/09 Tripti Arya and I had a conversation in Mumbai, about how more and more people are supporting such ideas and she was interested and ready to support an initiative a public or interactive art project. By that time I had already established UTSHA Foundation, so, I proposed the Barbil Art Project and she agreed. In the past too we have invited artists from all over India who are engaged in this kind of practices. The first project was quite experimental but everyone liked it, so we took the project ahead with the idea of a biennial event.
A.A: Ushmita what were your initial thoughts on BAP III “Tales from the Land”? How did you conceive it?
Ushmita Sahu: Thank you Arpita. When Jagannath called me and invited me to curate BAP III, he spoke at length on what this project means to him and also talked about the two earlier editions. As we continued our discussions over several months it became clear that we were both interested in the concept of mentorship. These exchanges inspired how I designed Tales of the Land. I wanted this edition to be layered and interactive, where several groups would have the potential to be mentor/ mentee collaborators. That is why we invited wellknown artists along with emerging artists as well as art students from various art colleges of Odisha. Adults, young adults and school children both from within the gated Arya community and beyond were involved in the projects fold. So yes, in my mind the idea of knowledge sharing was the core around which I developed the project.
A.A: How did you two get together as organizer and curator to build “Tales From The Land”?
J.P: I had visited a very interesting show in Baroda curated by Ushmita, I didn’t know she was Prasanta Sahu’s wife I thought she was from Odisha because of her surname Sahu and I was impressed to see that someone from Odisha is doing such nice work. I was so inspired by the fact that she is engaging with younger artists, giving them opportunity and platform and also intellectually engaging with them. She has that quality in her. I felt that was the kind of work we do at UTSHA and I would like to collaborate and work together. So I called her and had a conversation about the project. Though the project was to happen last year it could not take place for some reason. But when we finally got the project running, she was really excited as the kind of vision she had I too was thinking along similar lines and we were on the same page. I think Ushmita as a person has a lot of potential to bring out the best from another person. 
U.S: Thank you so much, Jagannath. I have been quite the admirer of Jagannath’s works for a long time but had never actually met him. So it was wonderful when we spoke. I spoke with him in Odiya, I think it was only after several conversations that he realised that I was a Bengali! As he quite rightly says, we were on the same page right from the beginning,I understood his vision. In each project I curate, I always try to show young upcoming talent. I feel that including younger names with established ones is a way to encourage. Jagannath has been doing amazing work with his foundation and I am honoured that he believed in my vision and invited me to be part of the project.
