Ms. Sunita Kohli, Founder and Chairperson, NMWA (India) launched the Museum in Chennai and inaugurated Explorations at the Lalit Kala Akademi (Regional Centre), Chennai in the presence of other NMWA (India) trustees including Ms. Priya Paul (of The Park Hotels), Ms. Rajshree Pathy (Chairperson, Rajshree Sugars and Chemicals Limited) and Dr. Deborah Thiagarajan (President, Madras Craft Foundation & Founder-Chairperson, DakshinaChitra).
In keeping with the pioneering vision of the NMWA, Explorations showcased outstanding women in contemporary visual, performing and literary arts in India through painting exhibitions, poetry reading sessions, lectures, dance and panel discussions.
Explorations was organized by DakshinaChitra, NMWA India’s museum partner in South India. Explorations, held recently across Chennai had the following events :
Paintings and installations by contemporary artists woven around the theme ‘Fluid Signs: Perceptions and Identity’. Fluid Signs was the result of two artists’ camps organized by DakshinaChitra in 2006. It was a creative attempt made by fifteen artists. The works on display were indeed fluid signs, collectively providing clues to individual interpretation of values, beliefs and identity within contemporary society. The second exhibition featured contemporary women artists from South India. Both exhibitions were held at the Lalit Kala Akademi (Regional Centre), Chennai.
A lecture and discussion built around the theme ‘Identity and Authenticity within the Indian Framework: Globalization and the Indian Art Market’ was held at the Lalit Kala Akademi (Regional Centre), Chennai. The lecture was delivered by noted art critic Rasna Bhushan. This was followed by a panel discussion with well-known artists, art critics, collectors and gallerists including Dr. Ashrafi Bhagat, Head, Department Of Fine Arts, Stella Maris College, Chennai; Tamara Malmestrom de Laval, Swedish artist featured in Fluid Signs & Ms. Rajshree Pathy, NMWA (India) Trustee.
Contemporary poets from across Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry participated in ‘The World of Tamil Women Poets’, a poetry reading session at Top Storey at the Alliance Francaise of Madras. Chennai-based Kutty Revathy, Perundevi and Vatsala, Ranipet-based Sukiertha Rani and Pondicherry-based Malathy Maitri read from their works. English translations of the poems were also presented. The poems read clearly underlined the mingling of the personal and political, the inner and outer worlds in the work of contemporary Tamil poets. Ms. Vatsala foregrounded this thematic complexity in her powerful poem ‘Kannadi thundugallum malligai pookallum’. The poetry reading was followed by a question and answer session with the poets.
‘The World of Women in Dance’ was conceived as an evening of discussion on issues of dance with noted bharatanatyam and contemporary dancers Padmini Chettur, Leela Samson, Malavika Sarukkai and Lakshmi Vishwanathan. The program was held at the open air theatre at the Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai. The artists spoke on specific issues surrounding dance today; the lectures and demonstrations covered a range of issues from simple historical narrative to the exploration of inner and outer spaces. Leela Samson, Director, Kalakshetra Foundation, explored the myriad identities of the dancer focusing specifically on the dancer as observer and participant. Renowned bharatanatyam dancer Lakshmi Viswanathan delved into the concept of feminine grace. NMWA (India) trustee, Malavika Sarukkai investigated shifting perspectives in dance and performed a choreography of hers that narrates the story of a Karnataka woman who planted hundreds of trees in her village. Padmini Chettur presented a video recording of her work Pushed and spoke about her radical experimentations with performance art. Following the lectures and demonstrations, the dancers interacted with the audience and responded to their questions. The World of Women in Dance was moderated by Ms. Sharada Ramanathan, who has recently completed a full-length feature film on the devadasi tradition.
NMWA (India) It will organize regular Events and Out-reach Educational Programs that will teach the public about their accomplishments of women artists. The Museum will also incorporate a Library and a Research Center. The Main Center will be in New Delhi; but there are plans to extend several branches all over India.
Report from DakshinaChitra
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