The dichotomies that dot Indian art are mindboggling. On the home turf, it battles a dip in the prices and absence of buyers — as has been the relentless talk ever since the recession but refuted by auction houses, galleries and elsewhere — at prestigious art events across the world, it continues to chart new territories. There are exhibitions, art fairs and festivals and then, there is dOCUMENTA.
Held once in five years in Germany, dOCUMENTA is looked as the most significant occurrence in the international art calendar. Unlike Venice Biennale, which is structured around nations and national identity, increased presence of art from this part of the world is being registered at dOCUMENTA.
Though, none of the artists are asserting their national identity through their art work, points out Delhi-based artist Amar Kanwar, who is participating for the third consecutive time at the massive exposition. Currently on at Kassel in Germany, dOCUMENTA (13) led by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev as dOCUMENTA’s artistic-director, features over 150 artists from 55 countries and is open for 100 days to the public. It is being held at the Fridericianum museum, which, built in 1779, is one of the oldest public museums in Europe, besides other venues in Kassel.
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Talking of numbers strictly, the 13th edition of dOCUMENTA boasts of four works from Indian artists — Amar Kanwar, Nalini Malani, Tejal Shah and Camp. “I have visited earlier editions of dOCUMENTA but never before did I feel this kind of buzz. I also felt that people aren’t clueless about us and our art practices. On my earlier visits, I felt Indian art scene was little vague for them,” says Bhavna Kakar, Director, Latitude 28 art gallery.
Artist Manisha Gera Baswani, who has also just returned from Kassel, agrees. “I saw people sitting through the entire film of Amar Kanwar. No doubt, it was a beautiful work but they just couldn’t get up. Then Nalini’s work as always was very powerful. There was both curiosity and respect that I saw for our art.”
Amar, a documentary filmmaker, presented “The Sovereign Forest”, a project that has been going on for several years. An installation made out of that project is on display at the exhibition. Amar informs us that one large 40-minute film is at the centre of the work, three short films and books “which can be called moving story books. These are four feet long books. There are images printed on them and they move.”
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Dealing with the industrial interventions in Orissa — the industrialisation of Niyamgiri Hills, the Posco steel plant complex and mining in ecologically fragile, tribal zones, the film is about an activist who is murdered. The film titled “The Scene of Crime”, according to Amar, “asks for evidence”. Since the work is about Orissa, the artist is trying to create a space for it in the State. “Those efforts are underway and the work will be in Oriya.”
He attributes the opening up of dOCUMENTA to different countries to Okwui Enwezor, who was the artistic director of dOCUMENTA 11, 2002. “He introduced a departure in the method, the artists were invited and the works were chosen. He had constituted a team of curators. Okwui came to India, saw my work and that’s how I participated in dOCUMENTA 11.”
Others at dOCUMENTA 13
Nalini Malani is showcasing video/shadow play, ‘In Search of Vanished Blood’, a huge site-responsive installation that employs reverse-painted mylar sheets on rotating cylinders.
Nalini Malani was also invited as one of three creators to produce an artist book that included insightful essays and interviews and was accompanied by a film, ‘Cassandra’s Gift’ directed by Payal Kapadia that explored the making of this whole project.
Tejal Shah’s ‘Between the Waves’ is a multi-part installation including elements like film, text, choreography and sound. The work explores relationship between man, nature and animal societies.
Camp, The Mumbai-based trans-disciplinary studio, founded in 2007 Shaina Anand, Sanjay Bhangar and Ashok Sukumaran has presented “The Boat Modes (2009-12)” a 60-minute film and photo installation. The work deals with marine communites, piracy, sea routes. The Boat Modes was co-commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation and dOCUMENTA (13).
(The first Indian artist to take part in dOCUMENTA was Bhupen Khakhar in 1992.)