Why do we need a biennial? I have often asked myself this question. Before COVID-19, I visited many places with international cultural events. During lockdown, I co-organized an artist residency program to reflect on the impact, threats and opportunities of COVID-19 for cultural workers. Everything went differently than expected. Now everyone is trying to get back to normal. Have we thoughtlessly spent trillions of euros and dollars to maintain a system that desperately needs a change?
"Exhibition of the works of Amitabh Sengupta at the Kalakendra Art Gallery, Auroville"
Dhe works of Amitabh Sengupta show a broad spectrum of styles and reflect the challenges faced by Indian artists in the 20th century. A major exhibition of his work is currently on display at the Kalakendra Art Gallery. Find out more about his influences and his significance for the Indian art scene.
CADALFEST at Adishakti
Dhe CADALfest took place in Adishakti from December 16 to 20, 2022. I hadn't planned to go, but I was very surprised by the four days of round-table discussions, poetry and film screenings, concerts and theater performances by a fascinating group of artists, activists and academics. I cherry-picked a little bit and ended up [...]
Dancing with the wind - Gilles Grimaître plays Avant-garde at CRIPA in Auroville
Gilles Grimaître visits Auroville for a few days during his Pro Helvetia artist residency in Bengaluru, Chennai and Pondicherry to engage with Carnatic music. The program he chose for the evening from Dec. 17th, 2022, was a passionate, loving introduction to usually not so accessible Western avant-garde music. Grimaître started off with Johannes Brahms - [...]
Shiva Tiruvannamalei Deepam
Gesterday I followed something in my mind that I find difficult to describe. In everyday language, I would perhaps say that I followed my intuition. But it's a bit more complex than that. I went to Tiruvannamalai again. It was the last day of the Karthigai Deepam Brahmotsavam festival. So on December 6, 2022, a fire was lit on this mountain [...]
Labyrinth - process aesthetics
"the eye thinks even more than it listens" (Deleuze) I now remember that before I started reading Deleuze, I had been working on process aesthetics. I made a 100-page manuscript, with notes, quotations, structural sketches. I wanted to get away from the idea that art consists of objects that are perceived in a particular form, because [...]
Diagrams - philosophical
II am slowly approaching Sanskrit. On Thursdays, Nishtha holds a seminar on the Rigveda. The joint recitation in Sanskrit, the detailed analysis of the translation, Nishtha's philological reflections and the explanations on the psychology of the gods open up access to these 'sacred' texts. I remember my Latin studies, the Indo-Germanic roots, the sounds that [...]
Sleeping
Gesterday I went to sleep expecting to get up early and meditate. I set the alarm for 6 o'clock. In the evening, a French yoga teacher and mountain guide told me about the early morning hours in India, that they are the best for meditation - I already knew that they are good for ryas. She told me [...]