The sound of music is but universal. And so language is never a barrier. Embrace: Music Justice Arts to be held in Delhi this evening at the Gulmohar Park Club is set to create an atmosphere of music, slam poetry, talk, drag act and art showcasing young talent. “It is a platform that provides space for originality, creativity and expression through music also encompassing other forms of arts such as poetry and slam”, shares Sharif Rangnekar, organiser and curator of the event who is also the founder of the band ‘Friends of Linger’ that shall present the track ‘Dignity’ dedicated to the global movement for women, She Decides.
Titled ‘Voices in the Silence’, the event shall see artists giving voice to issues that are often not talked about due to societal taboos. And so the drag act, the LGBTQ issues, racism and the rest. “The silence, as we see it, is about the din created by mainstream noise and definitions. We see silence as a form of exclusion and hence those who still stand up and perform are voices that are driven by their own passion, conviction and art,” says Sharif. Talking about how the idea took shape, he states, “I deeply feel that art and music beyond the template of the market are required in a world that is driven by the mainstream which continues to limit the mind. The most open forms tell us a lot about life, justice and all things that we tend to ignore in the mainstream or have forgotten. The more you oppress, the more we need a voice and a reminder that connects with the soul and opens the mind.” And that’s where social justice comes in, he says.
Says Divya Dureja, an international spoken word poet, beat poet and jazz poet, “I sway towards performing poetry for live audiences with the intent to engage them with challenging topics. I believe poetry can be harnessed as a powerful tool for activism.” She co-founded the Performers' Consortium that is “a platform for novice artists to nourish their art and steer away from homophobic, sexist and stereo-negative narratives in artworks,” she explains. For Divya, the beauty of spoken word poetry in India also lies in multilingualism. “Poets have the liberty to use various languages within a piece and contextualise their poem according to the venue, surrounding and people engaging with their performance. That is what makes this genre even more challenging,” she remarks. Sharing the topics she likes to share with her listeners, Divya reveals, “My spoken word pieces revolve around the themes of political and societal injustices, LGBTQ and advocacy, taboo topics and uncomfortable realities embedded in the socio-cultural context of India”.
The fest shall also see the first time display of art works by Odisha artist Snigdha Samal who paints for the love of it and is particularly fond of people centric themes, portraits and “everything that can be of interest to express myself.” She does pen and ink and acrylic and oil and feels that it is the duty of every citizen to “uphold human rights and fight for justice”.
