UP AGAINST THE WALL
WASWO X. WASWO
The “Pondy Art Wall” has made it through its first engaging year with a mixture of ups and downs. Waswo X. Waswo discusses the problematics of such public art projects with its organizer and two of the artists who have been exhibited.
The Pondy Art Wall premiered in February of 2013 on a private wall near the canal in Pondicherry’s French Quarter. Organized by Kasha Vande, an American hailing from Upstate New York, the art wall’s intent was to generate an awareness of social issues via photography which was coupled with text. Vande, who has a Masters in Architecture from Tulane University, and who runs an upscale Puducherry café named Kashi ki Aasha, felt a need to contribute to her adopted community’s cultural and social milieu. She has managed to mount no less than ten exhibitions over a one-year period, financing the wall displays almost solely through her own means (with the exception of two exhibitions for which she found sponsors). These public photo installations have featured works by artists such as Amirtharaj Stephen, Varun Gupta, Yannick Cormier, Srikanth Kolari, Rahul Dhankani and also this writer. Nearly each of these photo installations have been accompanied by artist talks coupled with visual presentations given at Vande’s café. From its modest beginnings along the canal, the Pondy Art Wall moved to a far more conspicuous space on the well-trafficked Beach Road. However, keeping a wall space has proved difficult. Having lost its new Beach Road space after six successful exhibitions, Vande has housed the current installation, “Streetwise” by Kaushal Parikh, in a temporarily appropriated abandoned factory, though talks are underway to secure a permanent location through the aid and sponsorship of the Puducherry Department of Tourism. WXW: As I understand it, the Pondy Art Wall was initiated as a means to further awareness of social issues. What sorts of issues have been addressed through the wall installations, and how successful do you think has the wall
been in communicating awareness?
