: With a strong belief in ‘Art changes people and people change the world,’ British artist Char Evans has created an eco art installation at Auroville to send out a message to corporations about the waste they generate.
“Corporations that are in touch with communities take an active interest in recycling issues, and play a key part in waste management. They understand ‘rubbish’ is a resource, a treasure,” says Ms. Evans.
The installation at the Bamboo centre is the result of the creative collaboration of over 100 people, involving local and international artistes and the local community, over a period of around three months. Balasundaram Ponnusamy of the Bamboo Centre, Mohanam Cultural Centre, Yatra Srinivassan of Yatra Multimedia, Catherine Starostenko, Gaia Harvey Jackson of StampCollective and Joe Iredale of HalfCut, Osiva of Yatra Arts Foundation, Marutham Cultural Centre, Kottakarai Cultural Centre and Mala Dev of New Creation were some of the artistes and organisations involved.
The dynamic installation comprised a giant bamboo geodesic dome, a large kolam, a human mandala of dancing children and a ‘time machine’ with performances, workshops and spontaneous interaction throughout the project period.
The project has aided the aided the exchange of skills and fostered eco enterprise according to Ms. Evans. “It was designed to explore community creative potential, raise awareness on ecological issues, and to present our vision of beautiful of co-creation,” says Ms. Evans (33).
The project has made use of natural materials such as bamboo, leaves, flowers, rice powder, shells and turmeric and recyclable materials like bicycle tyres, wheels, washing machine drums, telephones, clocks, shoes, cartons, cans, computer key boards and mesh.
As the installation is subject to weather conditions and the ravages of time, Ms. Evans and her team have recorded the process on their YouTube channel and website, with American artiste Moby providing music for the videos.
“This eco art installation started as a dream in London and manifesting it in India has been an amazing creative journey,” adds Ms. Evans. The Eco Art Installation’s next project has been planned in the Amazon Rainforest later this year.
