Curtains define and construct spaces, areas and terrains and as such curtains are metaphors for power and processes of inclusion and exclusion. Imagining inevitably requires dismantling/breaking/ dislocating ‘curtains’.

This collaborative project done by artists at the Theertha International Artist's Collective, Colombo is reinstalled in the context of 1.Shanthiroad Studio, Bangalore. In this new location it also negotiates the public/private and inside /outside of an art space.

We are not from here, don’t know how we ended up here, don’t have many things in common, we Sing, Dance, Paint, Sculpt, Print, Spray etc... We try to be normal like everyone, interrogating, experimenting the values of Culture, Life and Experience, but “ART” brings us together to do things the other way around, this creates the bigger meaning to produce and Re-produce the Life and Experience in us as “ART” without separating from self. Meeting with difference which bring us the idea of being together to collaborate the Diasporas of visual form and helps create the conceptual aesthetics and questions how the work of art could be enjoyed not being an outsider. We still remember the our school day where we didn't have much time to do art, but always we gave a quality of time to it to enjoy the idea of image making. Now we have given our life time to be a part of creative humans.  It’s bit hard to understand, explore and enjoy the image making process. The concept of making the image brings the kind of restriction to the way of thinking to focus our self’s to be a part. We are trying to portray the essence of visual form which is going to be a part of the main stream “ART”. This will not forget to say that it’s just not about the “ART” there is a need for something more to be explored in and out.

Curated by

Deepak D L

Justene’s performance unpacks the unruly chaos of Bangalore and exposes the underbelly of a city built on booze.

“Long before information technology made Bangalore famous, alcohol was the city’s defining industry—shaping its identity for outsiders as well as residents. Though Bangalore is often called India’s “Pub Capital”, the pubs are just the frothy head on the pour… Alcohol printed the city’s newspapers, produced its movies, put down hospitals and schools and sports teams—and ruled the men who ruled its people. It caused the worst medical emergencies, sweetened the long evenings and created the brands to which Bangaloreans feel truest loyalty. Yet Bangalore’s identity as a liquor city has always stayed in the realm of folklore. It has never been recognised in urban histories, only in jokes and in its hazy self-image as a town of “guzzlers”.--Karnad, Raghu. “City in a Bottle” The Caravan, July 2012.

About: Justene Williams lives and works in Sydney Australia. She teaches at Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney University. Exhibiting since 1991, recent shows include; Outer Spaces Christchurch Art Gallery and St Pauls Street Gallery Auckland, group shows and collaborations this year include Vivid Festival, Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art; Contemporary Australia: Women, GOMA Brisbane; Behaving bodies, Ishmael Bernal Gallery Philippines; Transmission Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney. 

Williams work is held in national and international collections. Residencies and prizes include Maddocks Art Prize, Australia Council Tokyo studio and Stichting BAD Rotterdam. Williams was listed in Sydney Magazine’s 100 Most Influential people 2011 Sydney. Williams is represented by Sarah Cottier Gallery Sydney and Block Projects, Melbourne.

This work has been commissioned by Carriageworks, Sydney. 

Justene Williams is participating in a month long artistic residency at 1 Shanthi Road studio facilitated by Carriage works Sydney, as part of The India- Australia 2012 Year of Friendship.