1Shanthi Road does not need an introduction in the Art
world. It has been the most vibrant and consistent Art space in Bangalore in the
last decade and incidentally it also celebrated its tenth anniversary this
year. On this occasion and the publication of the book ‘Making Space for Art’
which contains retrospective and critical essays by eminent thinkers and
artists, Suresh Jayaram its coordinator opens up with an interview.
RD: In retrospect how has 1Shanthi Road studio impacted
the Bangalore Art scene?
SJ: I can reverse the
question and also talk about how Bangalore itself has impacted 1Shanthi Road as
in, the Art scene. 1Shanthi Road (henceforth referred as 1SR during the
interview) by itself is just a space, an Art space. By opening up the space
itself it has a different dynamic. I personally believe that a space is
spiritual real estate. If a space is opened up things will happen there. It
will have a catalystic reaction on the surroundings. If one space opens others
will also emerge. The uniqueness of 1SR is that it cannot move from its address and
because of its identity. The space is built on Shanthi road after which it is
named and its uniqueness also comes from the fact that it is situated in a
middle class locality in the heart of the city. It has multiple functions as a
studio, a gallery and home. In terms of impact it has pushed the boundaries of
how art is made, seen and experienced and dialogued upon. The impact has been
slow but definite. There have been art teachers who have told their students
‘not’ to work like 1SR artists (works that are not confined into the academic
structure or teaching capacities). It is also a space that has given courage to
artists to do many edgy and out of the box art.
RD: How have you managed to keep 1Shanthi Road a
democratic space?
SJ: 1SR is democratic even
in its core agenda where it believes that anybody and everybody are welcome. An
artist from Gulbarga or one from New York is the same to me. Everyone gets the
same coffee or tea or lunch. We have always kept our doors open which again is
a sign of democracy. It has also hosted shows which might not be seen in
conventional galleries where they might be censored. Shows of the LGBT
community, art containing nudity and films that are censored and nude
performances have all had a platform in 1SR. The freedom of the artist to
express is sacred here. It is also open to all nationalities. It is a neutral space
wherein an artist comes, occupies and creates something out of the neutrality.
RD: How do you balance
an artist led independent space with a commercial and sustainable module?
SJ: The most challenging thing
is to keep it sustainable. We have to keep the overheads very low. Financially
this keeps my expenditure for living a comfortable life pretty low since I need
to think of how to run the space. My space coexists with 1SR. I live in 1SR and
1SR lives in me. If I don’t have the money 1SR will not run. 1SR trust (Visual
Arts Collective trust) does not have a corpus amount. Most of the revenue comes
from residency programmes and personal donations of artists and well wishers (I
am grateful for this and hope they continue this goodwill). It has been most
difficult to keep it sustainable. We do it by budgeting and restricting our
expenditure to less than 50,000 rupees a month. If there are artists coming for
residency six months a year we have to make the revenue last 12 months. That’s
means that even if the walls need a fresh coat of paint (“like it does now”) we
have to do without it.
Also we do not
take any commission from the artists for selling their works. We only take a
ten percent handling fee or a work in return. There have been years when I had
to borrow money to run the space. It isn’t easy.
RD: How has 1Shanthi Road managed to create a network
of audiences beyond the Art fraternity? There are dancers, litterateurs, theatre
actors, film makers, Art enthusiasts amongst your audience.
SJ: It has been mentioned
that it is due to the hospitality that 1SR provides that the crowds arrive.
Hospitality runs in my family. My parents were very generous people and they
always had an open house. When artists came to eat here my mother told me that
she was very happy that I was continuing the tradition of keeping an open house
and feeding whoever happened to come by. Other than food we have an ear for all
of the young artists and even seasoned curators problems and even though we
might not be able to solve it it’s a non judgemental space wherein one can
share ones feelings. It is a nurturing space and you might get a cup of coffee
or some food and a bed to sleep when you are lost and in need of solace. To
quote Gandhi, “We keep our doors and windows open.”
RD: How has the praxis in 1Shanthi Road pushed the
boundaries for young artists in Bangalore? And how?
SJ: To start with many
young artists got the opportunity to collaborate with artists from Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka who came on residency to 1SR. I see to it that we
support the local artist community. When such collaborations take place there
is a lot of apprehension and hesitation at the outset. But in the end they take
to one another, experiment together and have come up with most astounding out
of the box artworks. We focus more on the process than the product. The
experience, the material the ability to use any material and even fail is what
1SR has given the local young artists. There is no fear of failing here.
RD: Can you physically
and financially replicate 1SR elsewhere as a sustainable art space?
SJ: I doubt its physically
being replicated due to its uniqueness. The architecture is a collaboration
between architect Mitha Jain and myself. Multiple things are happening at the
same time here. For example we are talking here and downstairs a show has just
opened and people are coming in. The space adds to this multiplicity of
energies.
Financially it is
difficult. If there is a corpus amount it is possible. There are many empty old
buildings and homes available where it can be recreated. Especially in non-
urban cities like Pune and Pondicherry or Chandigarh. It is very important to
also have a collective voice. Even though it looks like I am running 1SR there
are so many people behind me, backing me like Shiva, Harsha, Mona, Devi and an
as yet unknown Ramanna who comes and cleans at 6 AM in the morning. More
importantly there needs to be a collective vision for the city and an individual
vision to run the place at all odds and keep it going.
RD: Please share your
experience of working with Sri Lankan artists during thevery period the country
was embroiled in difficult political circumstances.
SJ: I personally had a
very enriching experience working with the Theertha Artists Collective. It was
a most important project for1SR working with a neighbouring country we had a
difficult relationship with. The Sri Lankans we met have been extremely kind
and generous. We reciprocated the generosity by inviting them here and
collaborating with them for three long years. The culmination of Sethu Samudram
project as it is called was a book that has been published on the experience
and the dialogues that took place between us. The war and turmoil feature in
many of the art that was produced during this collaboration. More than the
meeting of nations the friendships and bond between individuals has been most
important. I can land in Sri Lanka any time and be invited into their homes and
I keep 1SR just as open to their coming.
RD: What are challenges
in running 1SR and how do you foresee the future?
SJ: Finances have been the
biggest challenge. To keep it going we have to largely depend on foreign funds
or foreign artists coming on residency. The Indian Government has not supported
us. I think corporate funding could help us but we need to develop a different
approach to attract their attention. I think with a public-private partnership
it can be taken forward henceforth. My family has provided the land for the
space so the public funding will have to come from the artist’s community and
CSR policies and Government support. The future is bright and open to possibilities.
We need a second rung of individuals after me who will have the same enthusiasm
and passion to work and the openness to let the space be the way it is and also
bring in new energies and new ways of thinking working and creating. Next year
we plan to strectch our activities further by having Curatorial projects, Arts
appreciation and Arts education programmes.
RD: How do you deal
with art politics, censorship and the academic art space?
SJ: Academic artists and
cutting edge artists have both been welcome here. When it comes to
interpersonal relationships and group politics I don’t entertain them. I listen
to everything but not respond to it. I stay open to everybody’s ways of
thinking and listen to them but don’t react.
There is no censorship here. We avoid
censorship by not publicising our activities further than the artist’s
community. There are possibilities that a goon might end up coming to thrash
the space considering the political situation in the country.
