It was anything but a regular book launch. There was an air of informality, with the young crowd sat on the floor for a better view. The cultural fiesta in the offing, was to kick off the release of Reshaping Art , musician TM Krishna’s latest outing exploring art’s agency in affecting social change.
A line of parai artistes announced their entry into Alliance Française of Madras, through resonating beats. The performers, lead by artiste Deepan, upped the energy of the audience. Next up was a koothu performance by the Kanchipuram-based Kattaikkuthu Sangam, founded by P Rajagopal, who performed the kuravanji episode from The Mahabharatha .
Soon after, as youngsters gave voice to the book, visuals of Bismillah Khan playing the shehnai, of Kabali and Kaaka Muttai and of Odissi dancers swaying to melodies, began to appear on the white screen in the background. The visuals were as eclectic as the contents in the book that handles everything in the spectrum of culture — from Carnatic music and therukoothu to Kollywood and songs sung in a regular school assembly. In a way, the new book is a continuation of Krishna’s discourse in his first book, ASouthern Music: The Karnatic Story. That had been very Carnatic specific, said the musician and writer, while “This is a larger canvas and includes wonderful experiences I have had in the last five to six years interacting with incredible artistes.” He may have come in contact with these art forms but did not really enter their space. “Only in the last five or six years, I believe there has been some movement in myself. This book tries to place this within the larger spectrum of art, and pose the question, ‘Can art transform society’?”
CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, 11/05/2018: Artists performing Therukoothu during TM Krishna Book launch Reshaping Art, at Alliance Francaise in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran.
Writer Perumal Murugan launched the book, speaking of his camaraderie with Krishna. He wondered how Krishna manages to write so much and travel around giving kutcheri s at the same time. “It makes a full-time writer like me feel guilty,” he laughed.
Murugan observed that in any subject, it is important to create discussions, and one sees that in Krishna’s writing and music. “Art creates a space for discussion. In Krishna’s kutcheri s, which I have attended, I have noticed how he sings. His music creates that same space for discussion.” Krishna also mentioned how he benefited from his interactions with artistes from other fields, while writing the book. “It is not specifically on Carnatic music. It looks at multiple art forms, which occupy different social spheres. The objective of the book is not to say this is wrong or right, but to question what we believe is constantly right. Or what we do not even bother to question. And in that search, the hope is that individuals, artistes, experience and art itself can maybe fly a little freer.”
Reshaping Art, published by Aleph Book Company, is available on Amazon and Flipkart.
