Cover Page- An Interactive Social Project 

Cover-page  is a social project about conversations between me and Bangaloreans.I am An Artist so interested in human portraits for me portraits ofeach individual is a narrative of their personality. In Cover-page I have tried to look in to their personality through digital video.
In this work I have had conversation with Bangaloreans from different backgrounds, profession, localities, and age groups.In conversation, I have asked a set of questions, they were relevant to all of us. Some questions were spontaneously asked during the conversations which were related to their profession, age group and gender. Through this conversations I could understand their taste, skills, interests, beliefs, visions, sorrows , pains and perspective about their life.All the conversions were documented through digital video & audio.Few of the selected conversions have been edited and displayed in Cover-page.In one of the displays, mirrors cut in the shape of everyday objects, I would like to remind viewers their personal attachment with these objects and to see themselves inside these objects.
Rakesh kallur is a multidisciplinary artist from Bangalore, studied Master Degree in Bangalore University .He currently lives and works in Bangalore.--

Join us for Story/Poem/Song

Writing workshop by Gaurav Jain and Number Nagar by Brainstars

Project Cinema City , Bangalore

To commemorate Project Cinema City show at NGMA Bengaluru (3^rd November to 2^nd December, except on Mondays and national holidays) 1.Shanthiroad and BAR1 Studios holds a special program on Other Cinema Cities as a dialogue between experiences in Bangalore and Bombay. It consists of film program) and related shows of art works from Bangalore artists and archive.

The Bookwallah

The Bookwallah cordially invites you to a very special event on Sunday 11th November at 7pm I An evening of Poetry and Song with Shabnam Virmani and Readings from Six Indian Poets

The Bookwallah is India's first roving writers festival, taking five writers and an ingenious travelling library across India by train. Sudeep Sen, Annie Zaidi and Chandrahas Choudhury join Australian writers Benjamin Law and Kirsty Murray on a three-week exploration of southern India. Along the way they present free events, connect with local writers, and explore some of India’s most thought-provoking places. 

The writers are accompanied by unique luggage: a portable, pop-up library. The library travels in exquisite hand-made suitcases that open and transform into bookcases, filled with hundreds of new Australian books. The book cases will be on display on Sunday 11th November, for your browsing pleasure.

Event Details:

Date and time: SUNDAY NOV 11th , 7-9pm
Venue: 1.Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery, Shanthi Nagar, Bangalore- 560027 

An evening of poetry and song with Sufi singer Shabnam Virmani, and poets Vipul Rikhi, Annie Zaidi, Mamta Sagar, Anita Nair, Anjum Hasan and hosted by Sudeep Sen. 

Follow the tour at www.thebookwallah.com, on Twitter @theBookwallah, or Facebookwww.facebook.com/thebookwallah

 "Bangalore for Beginners" is a collaboration between U.S. visual artist , Kianga Ford, a group of musicians hailing from various cities in India, Iran, and Belgium, and a group of young women living at Jagruthi NGO, at 1.Shanthiroad Studio.Together they have explored neighborhoods across Bangalore, which are both the motivation and the backdrop for a set of fictional stories and soundtracks about characters who live in Bangalore.

This project is supported by the smARTpower- The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY 10456

smARTpower—an initiative of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by The Bronx Museum of the Arts—will send fifteen American artists abroad to work with local artists and young people around the world to create community-based art projects.

CONNECT

Sethusamudram Project 2012  

A Collaborative project by India and Sri Lanka which will be exhibited in 1Shanthiroadstudio  from 1st November to 7th November 2012.

In many ways the Sethu Samudram project will be a context to go into a process of analysis and inquiry of the contemporary socio-cultural and political anxieties and issues that Sri Lanka and India mutually share and bare. The two countries share more than just a geographical affinity; we have always been intertwined with history, mythology and a turbulent geopolitical situation.

Throughout history the geographical, political and imagined borders of India and Sri Lanka have been porous, and therefore shrouded with suspicion and circumspection. This has also been because of the close affinity that India and Sri Lanka share with regard to their historical connections. These exchanges and experiences are in many ways reflected in the contemporary mediations in politics and culture in both countries. Wounds have to heal and reconciliation needs to take root in hearts and minds. At the national level Sri Lanka is in a state of transition after a 30-year war, and many Sri Lankan artists are investigating this in their art. In this situation, what do these global and national transformations mean for the individual at a personal, psychological level? Ultimately, it is clear: the independent individual must assume social responsibility and essay the role of public intellectual.

This 6^th residency-exhibition of Sethusamudram project features Lalith Manage and Prasanna Ranabahu from Colombo, Sri Lanka and Dimple B Shah and Prakash Lakshman from Bangalore, India, whom have participated in a collaborative art residency at 1ShanthiRoad.

This residency and exhibition aims to make art a part of the social fabric—both in interactive and participatory ways. It creates space for dialogue and debate, while questioning notions of artistic processes.

These contemporary works by artists are politically conscious ideologues. In these works the artists act as witnesses, free citizens and commentators on the rupture and healing of a nation that has been part of the vortex of inhuman violations. They have also been direct and indirect victims of violence and loss which they could attempt to redeem by giving voices to the voiceless. Their subversive use of material and metaphor, addresses loss through recollection. They gather desperate voices, images and visuals attempting to redeem inhuman action in the name of mindless war.

One could say, a Sri Lankan meal is not complete without “parippu”—a thick dhal dish made tempered with onion, curry leaf and cooked with coconut milk. Lalith and Prasanna explore the politics and social complexities involved in how Mysore Dhal and Bombay Onions became Red Dhal and Big Onions in Sri Lanka, two food items imported to from India. Food is more than what you think it is!

Lalith also presents T-shirts with the word “Connect” written in four different languages on them—Kannada, Tamil, English and Sinhala. It also has a matrix of kolam or rangoli dots printed on it that suggests us to “connect”, a very significant action associated with conflict and resolution.

Dimple unwraps the wounds of a history, and proposes to heal the memory and loss through sea salt. Small bags of salt are gifted to the audience labelled as mercy and forgive, with a hope to erase memory and soothe the human wounds.

Prakash constructs a monument to remember the violence and pain of the body through a multimedia installation. The oppressive boot is iconized in a work entitled “Red Rain”.

These artist question violence by recollecting, sharing, healing and suggest possibilities to heal and connect in the name of humanity.

Suresh Jayaram

Curator

Sethu Residency 6th Exhibition – Theertha + 1Shanthiroad

@ 1Shanthiroad, Bangalore, India

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. 

Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge

This work looks closely at the narrative of storytelling and travelling as a shared common experience. This work in collaboration with a school run by Jagruthi* draws out the imagination of students from standard I II and III  focusing on the imaginary places they dream to go to. In teaching students to see themselves as storytellers, and by fostering a classroom culture in which all stories are valuable connections to the human experience, we, as a community of learners, unite ourselves in an ancient tradition, and in the telling of our stories, thereby pass the gift on to others. Creating  an aural & visual language of our thoughts and personal experiences provides the opportunity to share them with others. Therefore, the telling of our stories becomes powerful in its ability to convey the experience to others, in its ability to connect us to the human experience, while simultaneously having the ability to teach us about ourselves, or dreams and our own inner connections.

About: Tiffany Singh is a New Zealand based Installation artist. Her philosophies and practices encompass influences as varied as Modernism, Eastern and Western spiritual beliefs, Jungian psychology and Ancient cultures.

*Jagruthi, established in 1995, is a voluntary developmental organisation working for prevention and rehabilitation, issues in stemming the spread of STD/STI and HIV among children (both girls and boys)women, men, highly vulnerable populations and marginalised communities in Karnataka. As part of their prevention programme that seeks to protect children from an exploitative circumstances Jagruthi helps run the MEG School along with Seva Sachin for the children of the Doddigunta slum.

Tiffany Singh's residency at 1.Shanthiroad is supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

Suresh Jayaram

1Shanthiroad Studio/Gallery

KABIR SATSANG with Shabnam Virmani

#1 Shanthi Road turns 10 years old this year! Ten vibrant years during which time we’ve broken new ground, nurtured talent and triggered a meaningful understanding and appreciation of visual art.

As is well known to its large circle of well-wishers, #1Shanthi has acted as an eclectic and alternative art and social space for dialogue, discussions and creativity. Over these 10 years, it has supported over 150 young and emerging artists who might otherwise have few opportunities for showcasing their work, as well as nurtured talks seasoned artists and scholars,and opened the space for musicians and the Kabir project.

We therefore request you to extend your support through financial contributions that can help sustain an enterprise that has hopefully enriched your experience and understanding of art and life. This financial support is critical if we are to fulfill our mission – that of building a strong and vibrant network of art practitioners and scholars both within India and outside.

More specifically, your contributions will be critical for several activities that push the residency a little closer to achieving its objectives.

We need to raise funds to sustain our ongoing programs for the next three years.

To sustain our selves and upgrade digital and virtual archiving system with a webpage that can support our ongoing projects and be networked locally and globally. Consolidate our working team of part and full-time staff to manage the residency and studio space.

We also wish to publishing a special book on this occasion to commemorate our 10th year. 

Further we envision more critical and creative endeavors with the visual arts. Looking forward to your support

Suresh Jayaram

SHOWCASE @ 1SHANTHIROAD I MONSOON MUSE

Hi !!! This is our second showing..after almost selling out last time....which presents a whole lot of new shapes, textures and forms inspired by the moody blues of the monsoons....please do come, tuck into large soup bowls, lay out platters, take home mugs for hot steamy chai, trays and soup pots...perfect for the grey skies of Bangalore.

Artist Talk by KIANGA FORD

Kianga Ford’s project in Bangalore at 1.Shanthtiroad will be a new set of fictional audio narratives written for and about various locations around the city.

“My stories are made up but typically reflect the people and conditions that I encounter while I am moving through the cities where I'm working. My research process is varied and involves both active listening and aimless wandering as well as historical and sometimes archival research. In Bangalore, I aim to form a group

of young women collaborators who will help me to understand this place and time by extending active listening to their own communities and sharing the narratives that they gather. I am actively soliciting young women between the ages of 12 and 20 (not strict) to participate in this group. But, the project is not by any means limited to young women, so I invite everyone to come by 1.Shanthiroad and have a chat with me, take me for a walk, or show me something you find interesting about Bangalore".

I am also seeking musical collaborators to score the audio walks, so please do drop me a note or drop by if you are interested.” (justanotherkianga@yahoo.com).

My working periods in Bangalore will be: August 15-September-5 and October 7-October-31st. 

This project is supported by the smARTpower- The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY 10456

smARTpower—an initiative of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by The Bronx Museum of the Arts—will send fifteen American artists abroad to work with local artists and young people around the world to create community-based art projects.