Where do the artists in India stand in the current political
scenario? Raising a question like this brings in the memories of that perennial
question that has been asked at every juncture in history when the history
itself confronted a political crisis similar to the one in India today. For the beginners, I should add that the
political crisis in India is nothing but a religious as well as cultural
crisis. To achieve nefarious political ends, dominant parties have been
misinterpreting the religious and cultural complexion of our country since independence.
What we see today under the leadership of the BJP leader Mr. Narendra Modi as
the PM of India is nothing but the logical culmination of such perverted
political moves. The difference between the former political regimes and the
present one is this that the former ones always protected the citizens from
large scale atrocities using the sincere or false shield of secularism and
unfortunately, the present regime has turned against its own citizens who in
fact look up to the state like the children do with their parents, for
protection, care and love. One may cite a series of political and religious
carnages that took place in the post independent India, including the anti-Sikh
riots in 1984. Though I cannot say that it was not politically and religiously
motivated and premeditated, I should find solace in the fact that this was a
localized affair, contained within a few days by the intervention of the state.
Unlike such incidents, today, we find large scale political killings not only
of the political opponents but also of the religious opponents. To make matters
worse, the political killings cannot be just reduced to the simple formula of
the Hindu extremists killing the Muslims who do not abide by the dominant
cultural and religious aspects of this country; it has gone to the level of
killing anybody who would speak against intolerance and demand religious,
political and cultural tolerance and insist on scientific reasoning and the prevalence
of democratic principles.
(That's called sending a religious message across)
In short, we should say today our country is going through a
phase of religious extremism which unfortunately is perpetrated by the majority
religion of this country; Hinduism. This is a shameful thing to the Hindus in
general, exactly the way the moderate Muslims feel about their extremist
brethren in India as well as elsewhere in the world. We have to accept the fact
that we are witnessing the rise of the Hindu Terrorism in our country. Though
terrorism brings in mind all those things that have rocked the world into the
abyss of inhumanity, including those public executions, fuming and gassing,
this country has not reached those excessive levels of atrocities against the
citizens. But indications are there that anytime from now it could happen here.
The killing of rationalists like Dhabolkar, Pansare and Kalburgi and the
lynching of several Dalits, lynching of Muslims for allegedly eating beef, and
everything points towards one thing; the days of fascism are here. Mr.Modi’s
world tour and his impressive presentations of a futuristic India before the
world political and economic leaders however do not change the situation back
home. Call it whatever or name it however that would cover up the inhumanity
behind it, the fact remains the same. Fascism is here at our door steps. The
central ministers and even the chief ministers in our country say that those
people who want to eat beef could migrate to Pakistan. Those who do not want to
abide by the dominant Hindu ways, they could leave the country. Where do we all
go, in case we are not interested in the dominant Hindu ways, and yet we are
proud being Hindus in our own ways?
(writers who have returned their Sahitya Akademi Awards and resigned from the board)
The answer has already been given by our writers and
intellectuals. Despite all criticisms and contemptuous remarks, the writers
have done a remarkable job by returning the Sahitya Akademi Award. I do not want
to go into the details of it. But I am surprised by the fact that the art
community is yet to wake up and respond to the situation. Not a single word of
objection against the fascist tendencies has come out of the artists’
community yet. I am not discounting the fact that they are all ruthlessly
single minded in pursuing success in the material world without heeding much to
the political and social changes in our society. They do notice and understand,
but somehow they do not want to speak up. Generally it is said that the visual
artists are those people who would respond to anything through their works of
art. They are not sloganeering activists, nor are they doing their art for
spreading political awareness. They are the people who live in their own
private world of existentialism and the existential moorings that supposedly carry the political nuances of their thinking, which should reflect
in their works. But in my observation, I do not see any artist, even though the
existential seclusion that they hold so high to protect the private properties, no longer hold much weight in terms of creating contemporary art, doing
anything that would actually make even a local Panchayat member to sit up,
think and report it to the authorities, saying that here are some colors of
political critique that needs to be identified, discussed and if need be
curbed. If such art happens anywhere in our country, then definitely I could
say that artists are making political art.
(Paris Society by Max Beckmann)
Let me take the example of several German Expressionists who
escaped the political wrath and at the same time sent their views across the
art loving public including the intellectuals, writers, musicians, designers,
architects and so on, by painting narratives that brought out several parables
and plays which held strong political messages in a very covert manner. We even
hail Banksy and Ai Wei Wei as our contemporary examples of anti-establishment
artists. But none of the Indian artists seem to have seen the light. They think
that criticising the present political regime from within the confines of the
comforts given by the drawing rooms dimly lit and adequately spirited with
political comments for munching would suffice and establish a climate for
strong anti-establishment stance. But unfortunately, this does not work
anymore. When people are killed in the name of religion and politics, when
rationalists are hunted down for their scientific views, scientists are
lampooned for their logical views, when writers are forced to commit literary
suicide for writing the real reality related to religions, when people are
killed for kissing, dressing, drinking and eating whatever they prefer to as
the constitution of India assures them so, when writers return their prestigious
awards forcing the Prime Minister out of silence, our artists cannot say that
they are pursuing a course of pacifism by painting more and more Buddha images.
It is high time that they speak up.
(Prime Minister Narendra Modi)
It is so surprising to feel the silence of the artists, art
historians, art critics, art writers, art curators, art organizers, art
consultants, art collectors and art gallerists and so on than to feel the
silence maintained by the Prime Minister of this country. The former Prime
Minster did not speak because there was Sonia Gandhi’s high command breathing down
his neck. This time Prime Minister Mr.Narendra Modi does not speak up because
the fundamentalists in the guise of Rashtreeya Svayam Sevaks (RSS) breathing
down on his neck. A Prime Minister who still functions on the plank of
development renders the country useless by forcing it back to a neat 2000 years
in history when human beings were trying to figure out a decent life in river
banks and in forests. How could he turn this country into a digital country as
promised and as proclaimed, if he does not take care of the negative working of
the right wing Hindu fundamentalists? More than the protests of the political
parties in India, the protests generated by the writers forced the Prime
Minister open his mouth and make a statement in the lines of secular fabric of
this country. Why our artists did not or do not do this? Our artists are also
the recipients of various sammans, prizes, awards, and the Padma awards. Why
don’t they give it back and intensify the protest against the religious
fundamentalism and the growing fascism in this country? Senior artists who wear
their secularism on their sleeves, like Vivan Sundaram, Gita Kapur, Paresh
Maity, Anjolie Ela Menon and so on do not come out and return the awards, or at
least take some steps towards it so that the country speak about the artists
protesting against the present regime? Why?
(Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya)
The artists, I believe, should be the flag bearers of
humanity therefore their philosophy should be humanism which is inclusive of
all isms in the world and also inclusive of all the creatures of the earth. An
artist cannot be outside any of these. When they are not out, they are definitely
in. If they are in, why cannot they speak up from within? Their voice is the
voice of humanity. Their voice is the voice of the creatures that cannot speak
up. Their voice is the voice of the trees and birds. Their voice is the voice of
the dispossessed. Their voice is the voice of the land and agriculture. Their
voice is the voice of the tillers and factory workers. Their voice is the voice
of the working class and the middle class. Their voice is the voice of all five
elements. Their voice is the voice of reality and truth. Their voice is the
voice of all those great men and women who walked on this earth. Their voice is
the voice of the Titans who had fought against the cruel beasts. Their voice is
the voice of gods that come and play with the human beings and do not rule them
from up. Their voice is the voice of reason that reverberates from the temples,
churches, mosques and the universities. Their voice is the voice of the
villages and of the cities. Their voice is the voice of conscience and if their
voice is not of the philosophy of humanism, their voice cannot be anything but
a muted cry turned towards oneself inside their graves and pyres.
(Make in India campaign )
The latest is that in February 2016, in the city of Mumbai,
the government of India is planning to have a major exhibition based on the
theme of ‘Make in India’. The government has called for an open meeting with
the artists, gallerists, curators and the other art movers and shakers.
Apparently, one cannot object such moves of the government when the center
decides that the state should be a partner in such projects. Hence, the project
is not just art alone. It is a combination of science, technology, commerce,
art and everything. For a week in Mumbai the ‘Make in India’ festival will happen
in 2016 February. I do not think that it is a wrong move. It has a lot to do
with the commerce and industry of our country. This contributes to the economy
of our country. But my question is to the artists and those people who are
involved in the art scene, Are you for this project or not? Will you participate in
this project? This is a moment of choice. The country is facing a crisis. In
Mumbai Ghulam Ali, the singer was stopped, in Mumbai eating of meat was
stopped, in Mumbai they objected the expansion of the BDL Museum, in Mumbai
they blackened the face of the peacenik Sudheendra Kulkarni, in Mumbai they
object Biharis and UPites from getting taxi jobs unless they learn Marathi. It
is in Mumbai that you are asked by the government to create works of art for ‘Make
in India’. In the process of slow saffronisation of the art and culture
establishments of India, the NGMA in Mumbai has also become a part now. The
meeting is to be held there in the NGMA. The chairperson of the NGMA, Pheroza
Godrej is expected to participate in it. Are you going to be a part of it? Your
decision is going to decide your political stance. And that is going to decide
your humanity.
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