Navjot Altaf, Rajkumar and Shantibai at 2nd Yinchuan Biennale
Navjot Altaf, Rajkumar and Shantibai are represented in the 2nd
Yinchuan Biennale, curated by Marco Scotini with curatorial team of Andris
Brinkmanis, Paolo Caffoni, Zasha Colah and Lu Xinghua.
Navjot Altaf presents ‘Soul Breath Wind’ a video project in process
based on artist’s research on the political situation, agenda of development
and anthropogenic environmental changes in Chhattisgarh.
“The loss
and destruction of fertile land and soil, forests and biodiversity have had
severe impact on the day to day existence and identity of indigenous
communities living there for centuries and their rights to decision
making…This has led to massive forced and undesired displacements of local
habitants, resulting in marginalization of indigenous way of life, their
oral tradition of knowledge, cultural environment in which both human,
other species and nature could prosper and cultural dynamics are not
destroyed, tacit knowledge which is not always known explicitly. Oral
cultures encourage the participatory life of the senses, and are linked to
the concept of relationship with more than the human terrain and its
potential to create experience at several conscious and subconscious levels.
Their relationship to land, forest or water which is rooted in very
different conceptual frameworks offers insight into ourselves and the belief
in interconnectedness, interdependence. This has been part of the wisdom of
people for centuries, which has been transmitted orally across generations.
The video addresses the impact of imposed segregation from their live-world
in North-Central part of Chhattisgarh and dealing with the conflicts between
the communities and the Police force, Police force and the ultra-left forces
in South
Bastar District … And
what is lost and is being lost…” – Navjot Altaf
Rajkumar and Shantibai present one of their Khambhas each (Memorial Pillars)
in wood. Both Rajkumar and Shantibai have written about their works,
expressing their concerns with the changing ecology due to the mining and
other development projects going on in Chhattisgarh changing the ecological
balance of the region impacting their social, economic and cultural life.
There is also an issue of state administration colluding with the corporates
to bypass environmental and other regulatory issues in place.
Navjot Altaf was granted an international award for Public Art Project for
Nalpar and Pilla Gudi – 2013
Navjot Altaf’s latest participations include:
Free River Zone
at the Kunstverein Heidelberg, curated by Tillkrause, Southern Germany,
2017;
Landscape of Testimonies: Artist as Witness. Zuleikha Choudhary and KHOJ,
New Delhi, India, 2017; Stretched Terrains - Interpositions: Replaying
the Inventory, curated by Roobina Karode, Kiran Nadar Museum of
Art, KNMA, New Delhi, India, 2017; Why Not Ask Again 11th Shanghai
Biennale curated by Raqs Media Collective, Shanghai China, 2016/17;
Environmental Justice - Film Festival, curated by Heather Davis,
Institute for the Arts and Humanities, The Pennsylvania State University -
PSU, USA, 2016;
Making Sense of
Crisis
- Art as Schizoanalysis: A Symposium and Exhibition at Khoj, January
2015; Is it what you think? Kiran Nadar Museum, New Delhi, curated by
Roobina Karode, 2014; Forms of Activis, Sahmat celebrating 25 years
curated by Vivan Sundaram and Sasha Altaf, 2014; Rewriting the landscape
: India and China : Contemporary Art from China and India, National
Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, curated by Choi Eunju and Kate Lim,
Korea, 2013; Water: EuropaliaIndia Liege, Belgium, Germany, curated
by Gayatri Sinha, 2013; Women In – Between: Asian Women Artists 1984-2012.
Fukuoka Asia Art Museum, Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, Tochigi
Prefectural Museum of fine Arts and Mie Prefectural Art Museum, Japan,
curated by Raiji Kuroda, 2012/13.Lacuna in Testimony, Patricia and
Phillip Frost Art Museum, Florida, 2009; Public Places Private Spaces, Newark
Museum, New York and Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, curated by
Gayatri Sinha and Paul Stern Berger, 2008; Tiger by the Tail: Women
Artists Transforming Culture, Brandies University / Museum Boston and
New Brunswick Rutgers University, Douglass Library, Newark,curated by Wendy
Tarlow Kaplan, Elinor W.Gadon and Roobina Karode, 2008; India Now:
Contemporary Indian Art between Continuity and Transition, Provincia di Milano,Italy,
curated by Daniela Palazzoli, 2007. Navjot Altaf’s works have been shown in
Yamuna. Elbe A public art project at the Yamuna in Delhi and the Elbe
in Hamburg, curated by Ravi Agarwal (Delhi) and Till Krause (Hamburg), 2011;
‘IN CONTEXT: Public.Art. Ecology’, Project, Khoj International Artists
Residency, New Delhi, 2010. Zones of Contact, 15th Biennale of
Sydney Australia, curated by Charles Merewether, 2006; Groundworks:
Environmental Collaboration in Contemporary Art, Carnegie Mellon
University, (RMG) Pittsburgh, curated by Grant Kester, 2005; Another
Passage To India, Theatre Saint-Gervais and Musee d’ Ethnographie,
Geneva, Switzerland, curated by Pooja Sood, 2004; Zoom! Art in
Contemporary India, Edificia Sede de Caixo Garal de Depositos, Lisbon,
curated by Luis Sepra and Nancy Adajania, 2004; Century
City - Bombay/Mumbai: City Politics and Visual Culture in the 90’s, Tate
Modern, London, curated by Geeta Kapur and Ashish Rajadhyaksha, 2001;
subTerrain:artworks in the cityfold, Haus der Kulteren der Welt, Berlin
curated by Geeta Kapur, 2003; 8th Havana Biennale, Cuba, 2003; Liminal
Zones, Apeejay Media Gallery, New Delhi, curated by Pooja Sood, 2003.
Solo exhibitions include: Lost Text at The Guild, Alibaug 2018,
How Perfect Perfection Can Be at The Guild, Alibaug, 2015; Horn in
the Head, Sculpture Installation with audio and video, Talwar Gallery,
New Delhi, 2013; Touch IV, Video Installation, The Guild, Mumbai, 2010 and
Talwar Gallery, New Delhi; A Place in New York an interactive photo
based project, The Guild, Mumbai, 2010; Touch- Remembering Altaf,
Video and motor based sculpture Installation, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, 2008;
Bombay Shots, an interactive photo based project, The Guild, Mumbai,
2008; Junctions 1 2 3, The Guild, Mumbai, 2006 and Jagar
Multimedia Installation, Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, 2006; Water Weaving, Video
Installation, Talwar Gallery, New York, 2005, among others.
Rajkumar
was born in 1972, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. He trained under Master
Craftsperson Raituram and has been part of the Dialogue Interactive Artists
Association (DIAA) since inception. His works have been shown in Museums,
institutions and galleries. Some of his select shows include: Not under
Great Law, not under Sacred Law, curated by Navjot Altaf at The Guild,
Alibaug; Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India, curated by Chaitanya Sambrani
that travelled to Perth, New York, Mexico City, Monterrey, Berkeley, New
Delhi and Mumbai (2004-2007); Solo exhibition at Sakshi Gallery, 2007 and
group show Sculptures and Paintings – artists from Kondagaon, Bastar, 2004
and Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making – phase II, Sakshi
Gallery, 2001; Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making, Phase 1,
Sakshi Gallery Mumbai and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, as part of First Asian
Art Triennale Fukuoka, Japan, 1998-1999; Nalpar, site oriented sculptural
structures, co-operative project with Navjot Altaf, Shantibai and Gessuram,
supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),
2000-02; Self Exploration, Interactive project at Shilpi Gram with others,
supported by IFAD, 2000-02; Collaboration as a Strategy in Indian
Contemporary Art, collaborative project, Nalpar and Pilla Gudi with others
and supported by IFAD and IFA, India Foundation for the Arts, 2000 -04.
Rajkumar has been participating in seminars Samvad 1, 2 and 3, at DIAA, and
has been organizing community activities since 2003. His works are in many
important private collections including Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan.
Shantibai
was born in 1960, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh. She trained under Master
Craftsperson and husband Raituram and has been part of Dialogue Interactive
Artists Association (DIAA) since inception. Her works have been shown in
Museums, institutions and galleries. Some of her select shows include:
Not under Great Law, not under Sacred Law, curated by Navjot Altaf at
The Guild, Alibaug; Sculptures and Paintings – artists from Kondagaon,
Bastar, 2004 and Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making – phase
II, 2001, Sakshi Gallery; Modes of Parallel Practice: Ways of World Making,
Phase 1, Sakshi Gallery Mumbai and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, as part of
First Asian Art Triennale Fukuoka, Japan 1998-1999; Nalpar, site oriented
sculptural structures, co-operative project with Navjot Altaf, Rajkumar and
Gessuram, supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),
2000-02; Self Exploration, Interactive project at Shilpi Gram with others,
supported by IFAD, 2000-02; Collaboration as a Strategy in Indian
Contemporary Art, collaborative project Nalpar and Pilla Gudi with others
and supported by IFAD and IFA, India Foundation for the Arts 2000-2004.
Shantibai has been participating in seminars Samvad 1, 2 and 3, at DIAA, and
has organized art workshops for children since 2003. Her works are in many
important private collections including Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan.
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