Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Navjot Altaf
Since 1970s she has created an oeuvre which constitutes an ever-growing flow of video, sculptures, installations and site-specific works that negotiate various disciplinary boundaries. The essence of her imagery comes out of her theoretical and methodological innovation, combined with deeply engaged readings of historical and contemporary art, film and cultural theory. The process has helped her address and realize the significance of transdisciplinary work “whose nature is not merely to cross disciplinary boundaries but to rearrange mental landscape”. Since 1997 She has also been working in collaboration with indigenous artists and community members on ongoing ‘Nalpar’ sites and ‘Pilla Gudi’ –‘Art in public space’ projects in Bastar district.


 Nalpar and Pilla Gudi projects in collaboration with indigenous artists Rajkumar Korram, Shantibai, Gessuram, Gangadevi from Bastar, Navjot Altaf from Mumbai and neighboring communities’, Bastar, Chattisgarh State, Central India.

To understand parallel and different modes of art making, art and public space in relation to different disciplines and areas of study and research we got interested in interactive / co-operative / collaborative art making processes. And ‘art’ that evolves from dialogical process, an endeavor that is exploratory, collaborative and dynamic, questioning our visual and cultural literacy, limitations and conditioning. As we come from different cultural backgrounds, to discuss contemporary art practices critically, we have been coining terminology and the language to have deeper dialogue between us. It requires a long term involvement to perceive, formulate or develop visions and work /rework on them. Interaction with community members over period has helped us to understand the workings of the social networks, and issues associated with respect for adivasi culture and human dignity. Issues at stake also included the urgent need to be informed about social rights to enable them to make decisions, however basic they may be.


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