Lifestyle
South Asia’s biggest and India’s only mainstream LGBT film festival will feature art as one of its special events.
Updated : May 23, 2015, 10:05 AM IST
A companion exhibition is coming up to go with the Kashish Mumbai Queer International Film Festival 2015. Being organised in association with Gallery Beyond, the month-long art show – The 377191 Wall will open on Saturday. 238 artists have come together to express solidarity with the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression the freedom to choose whom to love. While Article 19 (1) (a) protects the freedom of speech and expression, section 377 of the IPC is a law that criminalises same sex relationships. The group show of 271 mixed media works reflects on both these issues and will run between May 23 – June 27, 2015 at Gallery Beyond. It will coincide with the sixth edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival between May 27-31, 2015. Why 377191? "Because freedom to choose opens up the mind to ways of growth in any field, more so in art and culture. We come from a lineage where arts and culture had no boundaries. We have enough tangible history to uphold it whether it is the sculpture at Khajuraho or our Mythologies,’’ said owner of Gallery Beyond Vibhuraj Kapoor, who has curated the show.
This is the first time South Asia’s biggest and India’s only mainstream LGBT film festival will feature art as one of its special events. "KASHISH is glad to embrace art forms other than cinema and literature, to this year co-host an art exhibition," said Festival Director Sridhar Rangayan. "Paintings and sculptures speak to one's inner mind and vision and we hope the 279 artwork on display communicate a deep sense of dignity, freedom and equality for all. I think, in these artworks, more is said by the unsaid and unstated. The audience's interpretation is the key to multiple understandings of the underlying emotions." Rangayan thanked the artists from across India who have shown their solidarity with the cause and informed how a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the artworks will go as fundraising for the film festival.
Ajay Rajgharia's work
The prominent artists include Lalitha Lajmi, Brinda C Miller, Baiju Parthan, Anju Dhodiya, Arunkumar HG, Kahini Arte Merchant, Mehli Gobhai, Sharmishta Ray and Sudarshan Shetty. Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India guarantees every citizen the fundamental right to free speech and expression. Over the years this freedom has faced the onslaught of diktats, the moral police and vigilantes. Miller told dna that she found the idea of discrimination on any basis unacceptable. "When I was asked to be part of this exhibition it did not take me even a moment to decide that I want to be part of this initiative. Since the exhibition is talking of a wall I wanted to my painting to represent a brick in the wall," she said and added, "At a time when art and culture is being stifled by censorship and diktats, artists and activists have united to voice their opinion on freedom, equality and dignity."
Vrindavan Solanki, Acrylic on Canvas
Murali Cheeroth,''Seeds on the Left bank of River - II'', Digitel Mixed media on Canavs
Delhi based artist Arun HG whose contemporary sculptural take on the Ardhanarishwar concept is bound to be an eye-catcher told dna, "I have used several layers just like a wall to create the sculpture. From a cement-paper mache mix, to putty, paint and veneer. The cracks on the painting represent the cracks between the various fight-for-identity movements."