Hidden Feelings on Canvas

Art Exhibition on “Hidden Feelings on Canvas”

A three day Art Exhibition was jointly organised by the Dalit Resource Centre, Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary and the Student Christian Movement of India during the 26th – 28th Oct., 2007 at SCM Programme Centre, Bangalore. The paintings were a result of a workshop held for Dalit fine art students from Tamil Nadu.

The art exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. L.Hanumanthaiah, Ex-MLC, Karnataka and the Keynote address was given by Mr. S.G.Vasudev. Ms. Jyothi Raj, Rural Education and Development Society (REDS), Tumkur consented to be the Special guest. Rev. Dr. Mohan Larbeer ably moderated the function. Mr. A. Samuel Jayakumar welcomed the gathering.

Art as representative of emotions and experiences was underlined by the speakers. The question of “Dalit Art” was also discussed upon from their own perspectives. Art which have been dominated by the upper strata of the society is now conquered by the lesser known people – the oppressed and the marginalised. Ms.Jyothi Raj exclaimed about the Dalit movement being a struggle to be included within the society, to be recognised as members of the community. She insisted that it was not to crave a separate space through reserved quotas rather a direct participation within the democratic framework. This was to create a sense of self-respect among the people. As to whether one should differentiate art as Dalit or a non-Dalit work was delved upon by Dr.L.Hanumanthaiah. He inferred that though people often categorise him as a Dalit poet, he did not see poetry different in the hands of a Dalit and a non-Dalit, however, to recognise a Dalit in the field and to claim that is, on the other hand, welcome.

It is indeed an urgent and insistent necessity to claim a “dalit”ness of the art created, as it is an expression of independence, of protest against popular art forms. It is indeed a challenge to break away from ‘Victim’ attitude to that of ‘contributors’.

http://www.scmindia.org/eventdetail.php?AID=135