To the uninitiated, performance art represents dance and drama. It is heartening that this art form is gradually attracting artistes and the audience as it dabbles with video and other media.
Performance art becomes more interesting when done in public spaces. That was exactly what Live Art 2011 offered. This fortnight-long event was recently held in the city by the Bengaluru Art1 Residency, a non-profit exchange programme for Indian and international artists.
“One of Live Art's main objectives was to take art to the streets. When we did Dawn to Dusk, a 12-hour live performance, we got different responses from various people. Some were curious if there was trouble or if an accident had happened. The police were concerned and asked us when it would end!” recalled Smitha Cariappa, director and organiser of Live Art 2011.
The first of its kind in south India, Live Art 2011 included workshops, presentations and performances by renowned as well as budding artistes from Bangalore, Kolkata, New Delhi, Switzerland, Israel, Indonesia and Myanmar.
Among the performances at the National Gallery of Modern Art was an intriguing 45-minute piece done in the pond on this beautiful campus. The young performer, Deepak D.L., a student of art history at the College of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, explained: “My aim was to show that places like NGMA must be available and accessible to all.”
