Artworks

The world is going through a deeply challenging time. Our very way of life is under threat. While we quarantine ourselves in our homes, it is becoming increasingly clear that the current situation has and will continue to have far-reaching impact on our society. We are also very much aware that the art world is particularly vulnerable.  In response to a growing sense of urgency to reach out and to try and foster a sense of solidarity within the arts community Emami Art proposes a series of digital programmes to bring about discussions about art with leading artists, film makers, designers, curators, art historians, gallerists, collectors, critics etc , with each sharing their unique perspectives.

Curated by me, these will commence as a web-based programme to begin with, and will then transition into the Emami arts annual art programmes as part of their sustained commitment to art activities. Some of the programmes that are already in planning include talks, film shows, mentorship programmes, grants to young artists etc. 

The first segment of Emami Art Talks – Conversations is a six day series that hopes to explore the dynamics between six couples from the art world. Couples who either share the same profession or those who have been working together.

A marriage is a cohabitation, a collaboration. It is a shared space, a site of intimacies, of confrontations, influences and flux of ideas. At times a congenial coexistence of opposites and at other times insidiously divergent or even a study of banal. However, at its best it can be a true partnership, a melding of minds.

Conversations proposes an informal interaction or conversations that touch upon your early days together, the challenges you faced. It could be an insightful conversation revolving around a more recent project that you may have worked on together or helped each other with. It may also include lighter moments, anecdotes, even songs and poetry reading are welcome. You could also touch upon the challenges of the current time. 

You know each other best and Conversations hopes to uncover that. It may be scripted or not. Depending on your level of comfort in front of the camera – it could be live or pre-recorded. If you so require a set of indicative questions will be shared by me as a beginning point only as each couple is different. And the primary idea is to uncover the underlying partnership between each of you – the part which is usually not the main subject of discussion within your professional world. 

- Ushmita Sahu