Artefacting Mumbai Workshops

Artefacting Mumbai workshops

[TEAM] Alex White Mazzarella, Casey Nolan, Arne de Knegt
[LOCAL PARTNERS] Acorn Foundation (India)
[FINANCIAL SPONSORS] click for list
[DATES] NOV 2010-FEB 2011

CLICK TO SEE THE ANISH KAPOOR FIELD TRIP
CLICK TO SEE PAINTING THE ACORN SHED

Art Class Week 1

In a previous blog entry I asked the rhetorical question “Is art an appropriate medium to connect in the context of a fight for survival?” Now that Alex is spearheading a weekly art class for 15-20 kids in Dharavi and we have a nice list of community art projects to implement, it is time to start addressing this question and find out what it is that we can offer this community in our short time here.

The easy answer is to say that art isn’t appropriate in this context, especially given the disconnect between the daily realities of a Dharavi family and our artistic visions; the two are not exactly synonymous. I’m sure anyone reading this blog can think of entirely different and commendable ways to spend the money and time invested in this project to improve the quality of life of this community. But then again, perhaps the fact that art is so foreign in places like Dharavi –a luxury activity that is seldom considered as a hobby and would be reckless to consider as a career – makes it the perfect medium to engage and connect with the people.

You do not need to be here for 3 weeks to realize that there are a limited number of extracurricular activities for people in Dharavi. I think back to my youth… soccer practice 5 days a week (games on weekends). Music, art and theater classes in school. Concerts during the week, camping on the weekend, biking to the pool in the summer and going sledding in the winter. This list, nor a culturally-adjusted similar one, is available to a kid growing up in Dharavi.

Given the lack of creative outlets, our presence and the introduction of new views and modes of expression – which are drastically different from the norm – seems to be providing a refreshing change of pace for the community.

From Alex’s perspective, visual art is a form of expression that can strengthen individual and community positivity and help affirm identity. During the first art class he was showing the kids that artwork can be created from the very scraps that fill their environment. “Teaching the kids that scraps can actually be used to create other things stimulates their minds and gives them something new to do with their free time.”

With that in mind, we came into the 2nd art class looking to build on the concepts of using found objects and other easily accessible items as ways to create art.

Found Objects from Artefacting Mumbai on Vimeo.

Unfortunately, Alex succumbed to the inevitable and was laid out with stomach sickness (note: in 3 weeks we’ve lost only 1.5 days of work from being sick!), so Arne and I had to mix it up a little. Instead of continuing with found objects and scraps, we divided the kids into five groups, each with their own piece of paper to draw on. We gave them crayons, markers, pencil, glue, scissors, magazines… all the typical crafts supply that we have in the workshop. After everyone received their stash of supplies I asked them to draw their community. I should clarify, I asked the interpreter to ask the kids to draw their community –I also had him explain that we are very interested in Dharavi because of the people and the community. From there we let the kids run wild with it, helping to settle the occasional dispute between groups of course, and watching something pretty wonderful unfold in the meantime…