VRISHCHIK ,
J'
,f i
cI{s VRISHCHIK January 10, 1974 Year: 2. No.3. Editors: Gulom Sbeikh Dhupen Khakhar
.
Address : 4 R.sideocy Bungolow Uoh'crsily office compound Baroda 2. Gujarat. rndia.
Space donations in this number: Chika Ltd., Bombay. Dynamo Dilectrics., Baroda. Mercury Paints and Varnishes Ltd., Bombay. Dharat Lindner Pvt. Ltd., Baroda. M. AmiD and Co., Baroda.
Colour print in this number by lyoti Bhatt. (Blocks by courtesy Fulbright Newsletter U. S. E. F. I. New Delhi) Lino-cut on the cover : Rinda Desai (7 years)
The artists' protest against the mislVorkings of the Central Lalit Kala Akademi is getting greater momentum day by day. An a\l fndia Committee of Protest (formed on 20th December, 1970 on the lalVns of Rabindra Bhavan ) has planned a convention of artists and formation of Artists' Council, the details of which are being circulated to all working artists of fndia. We have been receiving cards of protesting artists and others about the boycott of the Triennale and thr. Akademi. The following bave ~ent us the cards :
•
Amitava Das Laxman Pai J. Pandya Gauri Shanker
,.
Delhi New Delhi Bombay Delhi
We bave also received letters from Luck"ow, Banares and Madras. A selection of letters is included in tbis number, in which relevent issues are discussed. We regret tbat we can't publish all tbe letters we receive. At the same time declare that Gur struggle is against the misworkings of this institution called Lalit Kala Akademi and not against personalities or individuals, and that we demand basic changes in the constitution and policies of Ihe Akademi. The artist community all over India has joined hand in this struggle, putting aside their personal differences, speaks for itself that the issue at stake is of greater concorn than our differences. And we repeat that tbe protest is not against the Triennale only but agaiDst the Akademi. Triennale being a clear manifestation of Akademi's policies is of course an initial target.
,-
-
--'
Two letters in this number accuse us and writers of the letters in the previous number which highlight minor issues and add to confusion and controversy. We feei that both parties in this regard have used regrettable language and in future we shall only publish letters which are relevant to our struggle. Some letters which appeared in press in the course of last month have accused tbe protesting artists of anti-nationalism, and misleading statements were made on the basis of wrong information (e. g., K. H. Ara wrote in Times of India that artists were protesting beca'llse they were not invited for the Triennale, wbile in fact about 3/4th of the invitees bave refused participation in the Triennale). We have answered the question of nationalism and image of Indian art on the world scene in the last number. There is a unique suggestion regarding this in a copy of a letter to Times ofIndia sent to us by Jebangir S. BholVnagry from Paris. "May I suggest that the Lalit Kala Akademi invite the "dissidents" to exhibit, within the framework of the Trienna/e , in a declared "anti-Lalit Kala Akademl" Section given over to them. "This would be truly democratic and show both the nation and the world that if we have differences we are not afraid to acknowledge them openly instead of their appearing as disturbing ripples behind the scenes. " If both the Lalit Kala Akademi and the "boycotters" have the magnanimity and, to my thinking, the good sense to ad-opt such a solution, I consider we would have a better solution altogether with which to face the world as a very large country with many facets to our culture."
We wonder how the Akademi would react to this suggestion! While Triennale has become an important issue, and Dr. Anand in one of his letters has mentioned one-world culture and the role of international exhibitions, we are publiShing a penetrating analysis of tbe otber side of one- • world culture in tbe Iigbt of present day realities. We invite artists and writers to discujS this issue.
Reviewing Committee
Tbe reviewing committee set by the government to look in the affairs of the Akademi is headed by justice Khosala, wh we learn has not cared to ~nterview protesting artists. For all these months the committee did not bother to send the printed questionaire to most artists. We learn from shri Pan war of Lucknow that discrimination was manifest in the attitude of the reviewing committee when they invite.1
only the supporters of the Akademi for interview and did not call young protesting artists during the committee's session in Lucknow. Moreover the questionaire is set for all the three akademis, tbe problems of Which cannot in any way be same or similar. This makes the questionaire useless and defeats the purpo~ of reviewing committee. We feel that if reviewing commitb functions in the manner it has, for all these months, it should also be opposed, as it seems that it is set to perpetuate bureaucracy, instead of removing it.
implications of internationalism in contemporary art • It is in connection with the coming Triennale that [ am contributing this article on the implica tions of InternationaIbm in art. 'Ay point of view, stated in simple terms, is Ihal Internationalism as a cult, imposes upon the ludividual artist and especially one outside the Western lIIetropolis, a set of false imperatives that must be aamined. The big International exhibitions, e.g., the famous Biennales both sponsor and manifest the trend of Internationalism. As we in India are still outsid!' the cultural-commercial mechanism that promotes International art, it should be possible for us to make relatively independent evaluation of the system and its effect upon contemporary art activity. Internationalism, it is reasonably argued must follow, when disparate cultures are familiarised by the communication media of advanced technology (McIuhan) and at the same time unified. by the common culture of advanced industrialism. Internationalism is then, an imperative of the modern world; it also becomes in effect, the measure of modernity, or of the progress toward modernity. Thus modernity, progress and Internationalism are treatead as iDterdependant concepts. All three are controversial, but particularly when transferred to the realm of art which seems to me to belie their assumptions, or at least, to resist Ihcir deterministic effect. Jo those, not possessed by the promises of material progress alone, modernism has a deeply controverSial content. Because it is in the realm of values, it must be constantly questioned and examined. The point is not to dary it, but to arrive at the fundamental and idealistic 41f it. In art, modernism embodies a confluence of derived from different culture: yet until now the will has been of the Western man, conditioned his own cultural history. As the supremacy of the West to be challenged modernism must be unde rstood IlOl as.n inevitably conditioned phenomenon but a set
of facts and valu:s in the process of transf,)fmat ic n by the will of non-Western peoples, till now e~cluded from the modern world by historic circumstances. One may argue that th e very use of these terms, mod\rnism) Internationalism and especially progress, are misapplied
to art activity. The content of these terms, or their underlying values have been determined by polittcal and industnal-commen.:ial deveillpments at a specific histone time in the West.
If art
IS
considered a merely contingent
activity to the above supposedly more basic acttvities that d otermine the shape of culture-it will be measured by tbe values secreted hy these activities, especially the value of progress. But if it is recognised that what with the exercise of creative imagination we are able to push against the boundaries of lived reality and aspire toward an ideal freedom, then art, the prime product of this imagination takes on a unique role. In the pur... uit of art, the d.terminism
of history is challenged and by the same argument, the defi nitions of modernism and progress. Stripped of these two arms, mod ~ rnism and progress, Internationalism is a mere dummy without content or directioD.
To go on to the notion of Internationalism itself, we must begin by questioning the oDtimistic assumption that in the contemporary world it represents, through the effecl> of advanced technology, a synthesis "f different cultures. For example Mcluhan, tends to disengage media technology from its source and operators He assigns it a paramount role-of bringing into a just coin . . idencr the superior elements or past (and neglected) civilizations and the sensibilities of lJur electro nic age. He anticipates a truly synthetic cult ure of the future r l I a new, inten sly aware and respo nsive man.
The Internati onal culture and the International man?
If the synthesis is to occur throul\..h the effect of advanced technology and its special c<l!llequences of express commuication, it must also be reckoned that these carry the motives and values, indeed wholsale ideolog'es. of the
optrators who belnng to particular cultures and class groups. Having seized and subordinated thr"ugh a series of historic initiatives, vast numbers of people, these groups perpetuate their supremacy, precisely through the manipulation of advanced technology . The content of Internationalism does nOI develop through some notion of [nternational justice but hy exertion of specific interests. True Internationalism must assume some measure of political and economic parity until then it remains a treacherous ideal.
The argument in favour of Internationalism that will appeal to many people not thinking in futuristic terms is that it is a substitule, in contemporary terminology, of the long 'tanding idea of universalism. But there is an important distinction to be made and I will follow Herbert Read in his very fine formulation of this distinction. In a speech entitled the' Problems of Internationalism in Art' given at the Cultural Congress of Havana in 1968 he said: " Universality is a human quality: Internationalism is a political concept. Universality is a question of depth - of the depth of the artists vision and sympathy. Internationalism is a question of width - of the extent of the audience to which the artist is expected to appea\. .. Universality is achieved by the artist as a consequence of his depth-involvement with a theme that is an integral part of his experience or values and which precisely through this intimacy gains irsight into the root experience of men. Internationalism, on the other hand, is a self-conscious intention which must enter, through an anticipation of the taste of a vast audience, into the subject matter and style of the work .
Following upon a general discussion on Internationalism, I would like to suggest that there are interests groups that promote an fnternational style - or more correctly a mainstream oj International avant garde art. They also set up the criteria and the machinery to validate this: one of
the most effective of Which is the network of famous International exhibitions. One can identify different categori<s of vested interests: commercial art dealers operating on an International art market; official agencies of different countries projecting their national culture into the world scene; wellkoown critics, selecting and evaiuati" contemporary works on a world-wide basis. And though each group may appear to have different functions, indeo! dlfft:rent aims and inlegrity, there is, between them a remarkable coincidence of choice. From the point of view of the art dealers, with their branches in the important world metropolis, the art work is Itke a commodity, subject to similar means of International distribution and sale. They wiil tend to encourage a standardIsed ( recognisabl p ) style that yields at the same time, continual innovation and novelty. Tb~ buyers, the affluent cosmopolitan bourgeosie, want art that is stimulating in being new and advanced, but it should not be obscure, nor disturbing in a way that challenges their secure cultural status or conversly, their areas of ignorance and impoverishment. (Although it m be argued that even this can be overcome in the advanced commercial societies where all eccentricities are tamed by those who can buy them J. From the point of view of the state cultural agencies, interested in projecting an image of their country, art ",0 must be eminently exportable. The most important consideration is to appear advanced, assuming that as advancement is quantifiable in the realm of science. technology and economics, it is also, in art. The other consideration, especia ll y with the neglected non-West'" cultures, DOW taking a posit i.2 n in the world scene, is to express a unique cultural id~ ity. But they are never indifferent to the first consideration of appearing advaD ( or modern). Therefore the choice falls upon works th emboty typical characteristics of the culture ( e. g. mytht and symbols) but transform these into a contemporary
idiom- also immediately recognisable as such, in terms of techniques and style. On the whole however, the first consideration wins. International exhibitions become arenas where different nations test their re'pective advancement-the under-devel oped ones with some a nxiety, fOllowing the criteria of advanced art, set by the galleries and critics of the progressive West. *1 But advancement in art assumes that there is some selected mainstream that is c:ontinually developing in terms of its OWn logic or/and in c:orrespondence to the times. This role of selecti on a nd judgment is performed, even more crucially and with wide spread effect, by the critics. lbe category of critics ( including curators of museums) I am referring to are those who organise International exhibitions, review for International magazlOes and sit on International juries. Even the most sincere and sophisticated critic amongst them is required to select and judge from vast numbers of di.parate works, is likely to seek a solution by whicb these works can be com pared with some measure of rationality aDd objectivity. The solution is to a pply formal criteria, ignoring or suppressing the cootent, which, because of its experiential-ideological roots is likely to be problematic if the critic is unfamiliar with these. I am proposing that an International art scene, on a scale ItICb as at present, can only be conceived or comprehended, aa the basis of some unifying factor- and this is necessarily formal-stylistic factor. It is of course difficult to Harold Rasenberg i/l his bOOk, The Anxious Object u press release from rhe 6th Biennale at Sao Paulo,' "'Brazlilian culture, cannot afford to remain indifferent 10 dtprogress of presell1 techniques and lite evaluation of creal ion." A nd he adds : behind in the prl)gress o f technique in painting 1V0uld ~.tq"jl路a"ent to f alling behind in electronics. A nation that
so would he mak ing public confession of back wardness. "
identify the cause and the effect in the development .of this phenomen on. Was it the preoccupation, since the early years of this century, with th e formal qualiti es of art and the subsrquent emergence of abstrac t art tha t made possible the contemporary Intern ati onalism in art ? Or was it the growing pressure of lnterna tio na lism on other account s (politics, techn ology a nd commerc ') that conditioned the sensibilities, and the value-criteria of artists a nd critics, inducing them to seek a means- a styli stic conventi on-by which Internati ona1ism could be cla imed in art ?2* It is probably unnecessary to assign a cause and effect rela ti onship as both fact ors have worked reciprocally. Internationalism and formali sm have accompanied each other a nd have, for all the claims of avant-gardi , m made art conformi st and conventional. Where content is retained ( as. e. g., in pop art) it is contained within an area of immediate recognition and effect, ensured as in the case of pop art by its identification with the fa mil iar images of commercial mass media. I have a rgued so far to suggest that art that circulates in the International hot circuit, displays a primacy of sty le over meaning. This to my mind, makes it both , more accessible and more impovffislwd. 路Z The extraction of fo,,~al qualit ies of an art work dates back to the turn of this celllury , when f or the first time. the independent and explora rory , role of ' language' was ack nowledged along with the concept of 'significant' fo rm. Th is was a natural consequence of the 19th century developm~n1s in art but it was also a cosequence of th e opening out of areas of non- Western (and pre-Renaissance) art which in order to be compreh(lJ1ded needed more ' uf/i,'ersal' criferia. On th e basis o f an aesthelic apprehension of form the Western art crilics were able to embrace, within their oU'n terms Primilil'e, Oriental and Western medievaf art. Once admilled IIlI O The Western senSibility , these arts affec ted in turn The values and direction of modern Western (lrt.
In India, we He quite out of this Internatjonal hot circuit. It is pos, ible therefore, tbat the arguments made above will seem far-fetched or cynical. But should be recalled here, what we have attempted an entry by organising International Triennales and yet there is no distinctive allirude toward the idea none from the official organisers, but neither for that matter, from the artists. It may be contended that the distributive mechanism of art is a purely extraneous factor and the artist at any rate is only interested in the merits of the work, whether it is presented in a commercial gallery abroad or the International Triennale in Delhi. But the point to reckon is precisely that extra-aesthetic consideratIOns the cultural-commercial context has such potency as to affect the quality and direction of contemporary art activity ( and nvt only what is sold or exported). It is an awareness of these factors and a critical attitude toward them that would enable one to valuate works for their genuine as against a spurious significance and originality. With the coming Triennale it is perhaps relevant to note that the art sponsors in various countries are unlikely to send works that are eminently saleable because they won't sell here, nor such that are eminently exportable, because
they don't have to prove their cultural supermacy ( !) tom or on our grounds. Therefore, what they send us may be close to being genuine, if modest. This is mOl e or less the experience from the first Triennale. I Our critical evaluation of the incoming works and the premises they uphold will be meaningful only if with the same edge we are able to cut through our own defenses. r The present boycot of the Triennale and of the organiser~ the Akademi, is good in itself but attacking a bureaucrali body is a little like shadow-boxing when the basic issues, in which real interests may be at stake, remain unquestioned. Far from taking a position, the artists
concerned, make no indictment of such institutions that more efft.:ctively insinuate their values into Ihe works themselves - ego heads of galleries and museums, kingmah of the Western art world and the affluent, coSm?J''l.ljt'!f,. v rlientele ( with our own IndIan version of it c'lfflWal titilation. It is easy to ascribe these evil~ to the comm'lIl culture of the West and step aside: the point is to ask ~ a extent to which we are willy nilly a part of it and ofteo fa lets face it, fully ready to appropriate the gains from the systems we call corrupt. I
X
Geeta
â&#x20AC;˘
2 LETTERS
Deal' Sheikh alld Klwkhar ,
If my guess is right, we are in for a big exhibition of our discord instead of a Triennale-and this, before a National and International audience.
I aefore certaiD artists point critical and self righteous rmgers towards Ihe LALIT KALA AKA OEM I, I sincerely reel they should ask themselves certain fundamental questions which are being avoided. For example, Whlll are Ihe faCIal'S I. In the firsl place ,hat has given rise to a situation where for 0',1' imporlalll al'l evenl aile has 10 look 10 Lalit-Kala
or an)' such similar organization ?
2. Thai has led 10 a breakdolVlI of a COllslrllclil'e dialogue tftA
Raza, Paris December, 21st, 1970
between painters themselves ?
1. Thol has givell rise 10 Ihese nbses.â&#x20AC;˘ ive cliques which fosler goodwill 01 "'ery I..'el ? 4. Thai has led Ihe arlisls 10 believe Ihallheir ollly duly 5. Thm has led 10 lhis distrust among painters which 1II//moJely has galle so for as 10 elld ill petty jealous ies, ~",i>,..c"s & childish manipularions tit bringing olle another
ThaI lias automatically gillen fhe 'monetar ily' succes.sful a/ra Ilze status of a good and representil1e painter ?
basic nature, not so much of art 'institutions', but of artisl, towards Art is changed, until tben be it blilKala with a new powerhead-or be it a completely new radic!1 'inslitution'-in the long run it will inevitably to the same illnesses wbich inflicts the Lalit-Kala of
Frankly, I do not understand what you are driving at, your dispatches smack of a political campaign. Evidently, much effort and time were needed finally to organize the first Indian Triennale of International Art. Inspite of its shortcomings, it was a national event. The Second Triennale, which ';}as still to come into being and which has to define its personality, is already facing opposition from those who should normally be contributing~towards its making. This unilateral decision by some of the most important
painters to boycott the Triennale is termed as a "pure act." It is meant" to den y the importance of the exhibition." A counter sbow is proposed. The Lalit Kala Akademi has suddenly become a "dead horse". A "post-mortem" is called for. There is agitation, uproar, politicking. But there is little desire to listen, to understand. As far as r can see, the present situation at the L. K. A. is a logica l consequence of the atmosphere that prevailed during the first Triennale of 1968. There was abundance of factional fighting, arrogance, despotism and very little lucidity. All this has resulted in dissatisfaction, revo lt and ultimately the domination of an embittered majority. The best in India do not need tbe Triennale. The Triennale needs them. By not exhibiting, the dissidents loose nothing. In the precise, Indian context to day, it seems a distructive act, we need to build and not to destroy. The error is to proceed on the basis of" interest." It is time we realized how necessary it is fol' important men to learn to give rather tban always wanting to take. Such discussions have taken place in the past. Obviously, this is all effective instrument of pressure. [t adds up to an "all or nothing" attitude. One, therefore, tends to confound issues. The Indian Section of the Triennale is not a group show. It is nOI devoted to a particular school or to a particular aesthetic. It has to represent a vast country and
must consequently comprise a cross-section of vital work that has been done in India over the years-incl uding hopefully, young and unknown Their seemingly timid attempts may reveal new latent energies aspiring to grow. All this, with warmest regards, Raza
the most past three painters. visions and
-
{â&#x20AC;˘
.
4 Madra. 1-1-1971 Sir,
3 Madras-41. 31-12-70 Sir,
I am shocked to read Rajavelu's letter (No. 10 Triennale letters-2) in the Vrishchik where he bas no compunction in stating that r won a National Award for sculpture last year because I a m the son of K. C. S. Paniker. If the campaign you arc conducting to better the conditio n of the artists com munity can include the insulting of young artists whose parents bappen to be artists also, I dare say you are not going to succeed in doing any , positive good either to artists or to organizations. Does Rajavelu's letter mean that no Indian artist who is the son of a known person can be good? Sir, I think you are slowly losing grasp of the situation and gathering doubtful characters around you. This is an appeal r. am making a lso on behalf other young artists in similar situations.
Yours faithfully, S. Nandagopal
I hold no brief for the Akademi and I have no illusions as to what can be expected of a body like that whoever runs it. But, T am surprised that you coulJ permit Vrishcbik and your protest move to be used by irresponsible people to blackmail persons with whom they disagree in matters concerning not only the Akademi but even private affairs. This is deplorable. As editor of the paper you ale responsible for what you print. You don't seem even to edit or exercise an editor's right to reject vulgar and mean allegations against people made without any attempt at substantiation of charges alleged. T bave in mind letters Nos. 3,9,10 and II of TRlENNALETTERS (2). In leiter No.3 your correspondent blames Mr. Paniker for tbe failure of National Award winners and participants in international exhibitions from the south to receive invitations to the Triennale. Artists of this category, all over tbe country, were selected by the National Seleeti Committee themselves at Delhi with the help of their own records and without consulting tile Zonal representatives. Your correspondent is again wrong when he says that Santhana Raj, Anthony Doss, Munuswamy and otbers were ignored. They were invited. They will themselves vouch for it. Your correspondent of letter No 9 is eviden a frusta ted nonentity who is not unwilling to sling mud al others to justify his own failure. He does not feel ashame to level charges against people witho ut knowing facts. has nothing good to say of Cholamandal Artists' Village either. It is understandable. [know he bas been maki, frantic efforts of late to get in as a member and the Villa could not oblige bim. It is a pit} that such persons are allowed to use Vrishchik to gain their private ends.
10 the correspondent assumes that if he has won a National Award it is enough for a whole He forgets that over 200 artists have till date . National Awards or participated in International and the National Selection Committee cannot out those who are not known to be active and He too indulges in slander based on surmise. 11 is a meaningless jumble of words with scant language or sense. It is c:ear that he has an pevalncewhich he fails to state clearely. No is served by publishing such a letter. It the bulk of the signature campaign you are iftbat is ODe of your aims.
known lilal the pr(ltest move has gained Sllpport of QI'lisls from various parts of signaillre campaigl/ is 1/01 conducled for shari ,nUWltfrom the demands made byartisls ~l/IIIjresin Ihe consrilllrion and rhe policies of safeguard interesrs of IVorking arlisls. ~""J"",redlhal Ihe aulhorirarian behaviour of Akademi who do nol enjoy co'!fidence of working arlisls, is challenged (Ihis is
evidenl from Ihe mode of seleclion adoptedfor rhe [ndian seclion of rhe Triennal.). II is also obvious rh(ll rhe selection of artislS made by the Triennale sub-committee and appointment of three-men jury is of arbitrary nature and that favouritism has not played any part in it is 1101 entirely ulltflle. /1 is sad that artists of Chalnmandol have nol joined rliis srruggle againsl conformism, complacency and inefficiency of Ihe Akadellli. It should be made clear rhat all rho. l'ielVS expressed by Ihe writers of /ellers in Vrishchik Ofe 1101 necessarily shared by
Ihe edilors. Vrishchik has in ils allempl 10 provide a plalformfor Ihe discussion of vilal issues given (alld in futl/re lVili give) its pag.s 10 rhe voice ~f Ihe arlisrs of India irrespecli~'e of articulation 01' grammatical mistakes-G. S.;
I
R. N. 15189/69
,
I
I I
Published by Gulam Sheikh rrom 4 Residency Aungnlow, Universily Office Compound, Baroda-2 and printed by A. N. Jogle at 3-A Asso~iales. 4-5, Laxmi Estate, Bahucharnji Road. Baroda.