interview

Sandarbh with a decade long history in site specific, experimental and community based collaborative art practices has come up with its first nature Sandarbh from 20^th to 30^th October in Silvassa. Nature Sandarbh is a unique initiative in the history of Sandarbh as it evocates and revitalize the missing link between the artist and nature. Nature being the inspiration to various art and artist is evident throughout history. It may be the dance, music, engraving of the tribal societies or the landscape paintings, nature take various forms to satisfy the artistic inspiration and creation.

The organizers of Sandarbh this time came up with a specific themeThe Nature and the Artist. The extension of art into nature is conceived as a vibrant dialogue leading to our understanding about nature and our society. How we understand, assimilate, alter and co-exist with nature. Talking to one of the artist and organizing member of Sandarbh Somu Desai, the conception of nature art workshop and idea of bringing Sandarbh to Silvassa is made clear.

Sandarbh in Silvaasa: I want to create platforms for small town art students

Interview with Somu Desai

Ritesh Panda: Somu, you have been active as an artist and activist in Silvassa for a long time. Could you please tell us how you happened to be in Silvassa and decided to make it as your turf?

Somu Desai: Silvassa is a Union Territory and geographically it is a part of the South Gujarat region. Silvassa is famous for its forests. Many people come to this place as a part of their vacationing in Daman, which lies a few kilometers across Silvassa. In this region there are a lot of traditional art forms like Warli painters and Tharpa dancers.

During my college days I used to come to this forest area to do my trekking and sketching. Slowly I developed friendship with the officers here. Many of them come on deputation posts from Delhi and they have been generally interested in art. I live in Killa Pardi, a few kilometers from here. Once I became friendly with these officers, I started coming to this area quite regularly.

A few years back, in one of meetings with these officers, I suggested how Silvaasa could become a major attraction in India’s art and culture map. We have a lot of forests and natural beauty. We have three forests resorts here. Why don’t we get artists from cities here? Initially it was difficult to convince the officers. So I went on to do some art workshops in and around these areas with the students from B.A Mehta Kala Mahavidyalaya, Amalsad and Fine Arts College, Amalsad. Slowly Silvassa became an attraction for many young artists and art students.

Ritesh Panda: Could you please talk about your educational background and other activities?

Somu Desai: I studied in B.A Kala Mahavidyalaya, Amalsad. As in most of the small town fine art colleges, here too the students were trained to become designers and workers in the flourishing textile industry in South Gujarat. Students were not exposed to contemporary art or gallery systems or anything. As I used to visitBombay quite regularly, during my college days, I could see a lot of art. After graduating, I went to Bombay to become an artist. But you know, with a degree from a small town college and no patrons around, it was difficult to survive. So I started working as a designer. I could have gone into my family business. But somehow I wanted to live an artist’s life. So after almost a decade, I decided to go to Baroda and live there.

Ritesh Panda: Apart from working as a designer, what were your activities during those ten years of obscurity?

Somu Desai: I never left my friends in Pardi and Silvassa. I made trips between Silvassa and Bombay and in the meanwhile the officers were alerted to do some public art projects. I got the commission to do a few sculptures in and around Silvassa. It gave me a lot of confidence. But I did not have the right situations to stay back inSouth Gujarat and work. There were no friends with whom I could talk on art. It was frustrating. I am talking about the late 1990s.

Ritesh Panda: How did you find a way out?

Somu Desai: I went back to my college, tried to get students to work with me. My friend Akshay Naik, who is a professor in my college, has always been very supportive. He encouraged the students to work with me. But the students were not ready to take a plunge. They couldn’t think on their own. They were all thinking about a career in the textile mills. None was thinking about going to JJ School orBaroda or Delhi to pursue higher studies.

Ritesh Panda: And you decided to do it all alone?

Somu Desai: My decision to go to Baroda was a sort of symbolic move. I was already in my mid thirties and I did not want to join the college to do pursue a post graduation. But I knew that Baroda was the place where a lot of artists live and work. It is the place where you could find a lot of fresh and vibrant minds. So I shifted to Barodaand set up my studio there. Soon my studio became a meeting place for several artists and young students. Actually, I was learning a lot through my association with these friends.

But then again and again you had to face this issue: you are coming from a small town college so you are not so great. After ten to twelve years of experience in working as a designer and artist, here you are again thrown back to the position of a student. But I worked along with the youngsters and seniors alike. Many of them were skeptical about my moves but soon I could convince them that I was there for learning and improving and eventually proving my mettle to myself.

Ritesh Panda: Now you are with all the artists. Many people look up to you for support and guidance. How did it all happen?

Somu Desai: In 2007 I was in Baroda. Then I came to know about Sandarbh happening in Partapur. A few friends were going and I joined them as I was interested in nature oriented public art. I had already traveled in Bastar and worked with certain NGOs working with the local artists and artisans. In Partapur, I thought, I could extend my activities in a new location.

I should say, 2007 was a life changing year for me. In Partapur, I met JohnyML, art critic and curator. I had already read of articles written by him and I was already a fan of his writings even without knowing him in person. Initially, it was difficult to warm up towards each other but soon we shared a few cigarettes and became friends. Meeting JohnyML was really a turning point in my life. I was a volunteer in Sandarbh and he was a visitor. But by the end of Sandarbh, we had already decided to couple of interesting workshops in Silvassa. Meeting Chintan Upadhyay in Partapur was the beginning of another great friendship.

Ritesh Panda: Then why did you leave Baroda?

Somu Desai: My decision of leaving Baroda came as a shock as certain chain of ill happening took place in my family. Despite my interest to stay back in Baroda has to be reviewed and I had to take a firm stand in order to support my family and relations in Pardi. Leaving Baroda wasn’t a very tough decision to take because my family needed me and I have to choose my priorities.

Ritesh Panda: Pardi and Silvassa became your base and did it change the attitude of the local fine arts students?

Somu Desai: Akshay Naik and I myself invited JohnyML to give a talk in BA Kala Mahavidyalaya. He came and spoke to the students. He could not speak in fluent Hindi. However, in his broken Hindi he could convey what he really wanted from them. The students liked his presentation. He asked them to come out of their cocoons and fly to the big world. And interestingly many did. Today so many students from this region apply for higher studies in Baroda.

This visit was in a way historical, at least for me and my friends in this region. JohnyML proposed an idea of traveling across India and visiting the small town fine arts colleges. Soon we turned that idea into a reality. JohnyML spoke to the artists and well wishers and they supported us with funds. We traveled along the north India region and visited eighteen fine arts colleges and made a report. This report could be seen in www.artroutes.in. Photographer Feroze Babu fromKochi gave us pictorial and technical support. It was a great trip. And interestingly, the trip was concluded with a visit in the B.A Kala Mahavidyalaya, where the students gave us a great welcome.

Ritesh Panda: What are the other projects you did during that period?

Somu Desai: I did ‘Vibrant Gujarat’, the mural project in Baroda. It was conceptualized by JohnyML. The ‘Still in Baroda Thrill in Baroda’ sticker project was another exciting project that I did. I participated in Video Wednesdays @ Gallery Espace, New Delhi. Then I helped in bringing a lot of art camps to in and around Silvassa, Daman and Pardi. Today a few artists have planned to set up their studios in this region. I am also one of the directors of the artists residency program ‘the Zero Kilometer’ with JohnyML (www.zerokilometer.com)

Ritesh Panda: You are now the Director of Silvassa Art Gallery. Is it a government post?

Somu Desai: The building where now Silvassa Art Gallery works from was a court. I proposed the administration to develop it as a gallery. They renovated it and changed it into a gallery. I organized a few shows here and this gives an opportunity to the students and graduates from this region to exhibit their works. Also I presented Chintan Upadhayay rare and academic works here. I invited JohnyML to curated a video show, which he did early this year. Now I am the officiating director of the gallery. I don’t want to take any permanent posting as I want to be a full time artist and activist.

Ritesh Panda: How did Sandarbh come here?

Somu Desai: Chintan Upadhyay has been asking me to organize it in Silvassa for long time. I wanted to give it a new twist. I did not want it to happen just like another site specific workshop. I wanted it to be a nature workshop where artists could work in any medium, not just the site specific work. Even they can create sounds. They can act, perform and photograph. So I was preparing for that all these days. And today it is becoming a reality. I asked a few friends including critic JohnyML to suggest the names of the artists and they are all coming to work here. There will be established artists visiting during the workshop and doing performances and presentations.

And personally speaking, by doing Sandarbh here, I create an opportunity for the young art students here to come and volunteer themselves in the project and learn from the participating and visiting artists.

Workshop in action

Sandarbh workshop and residency started with the welcome meeting, with various participant from different part of India. Giving a brief introduction on the history of sandarbh Somu Desai announces the opening of the workshop.