[Reader-list] Of art, morality, etc.

[Logos Theatre]

Dear Baruk,
        Thanks for your reply. The idea of the original post wasn't exactly
IFA bashing, because that will take up a whole volume by itself :D But yes,
this mail is an excellent example of how any serious pursuit of art gets
compromised in academic gobbledygook and, well... intellectual autoerotic
exercises. I would perhaps not have a huge problem with the word 'process'
because I am at times guilty of using it myself - but that's mainly when I
am trying to think/ talk about theatre as a process as opposed to
performance as a product. But 'systemic' - yes, you got it there. Reminds of
the architect from the matrix - systemic anomaly, etc. But yes, this
essentially seems to be an incestuous exercise funded by the Tatas to prove
how great the Tatas are for the arts. As to providing more infrastructure -
I would have grave doubts about how much actual liquid cash would be
forthcoming. They seem to be more interested in 'studying' theare
practitioners as lab rats.
         The last part of your mail in response to mine is where the crux of
the matter lies though. I may be old fashioned, but I don't think the
existence of self-contradictory truths are possible. It's not about imposing
my standards on anyone else - in any case, who am I to impose my standards
and what physical means do I have to do so? I can't line up the artistic
high and mighty against the wall even if I wished to and I do not wish to -
but I don't think one can practise art without belief - belief in the
absolute truth of what one is doing. After all, a piece of granite, in order
to be transformed to a work of art, is subservient to the laws of physics -
it will brook no moral ambivalence. Should an artist's moral strength also
not be like that piece of granite? And what is art without humanity? What
validity does my art have, no matter what its apparent merit, if I am a
mediocrite of the mind, if I turn a blind eye to the sources of my funding -
where the funds are coming from and at what cost (ask the family of tapasi
malik the answer to that), functioning in my own little bubble? I may not go
about imposing my beliefs on others, but I can't help but think such
'artists' to be utter hypocrites, and furthermore, cannot hide that
judgement from myself, because that would then make me a hypocrite as well.
As Conrad said, 'The horror! The horror!'. How wonderful it would be if
artists came forward and denounced all grantmaking initiatives of the Tatas!
       On a different note, the very idea of an organisation (especially one
filled to the brim with academics, not practitioners) sitting in the
position of being an arbiter of what 'art' is, is in itself deeply
disturbing, but that's for another day.
A



On 31/07/2008, Baruk S. Jacob <b_a_r_u_k at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> hey arka, read your mail with much interest-areas i have been thinking
> about too. my responses below, thanks for bringing this up!
>
>
> > In each state, three cities will be covered. We will be capturing       >
> information under the following areas through the study:
> >
> > • Growth and decline of groups and performances over the last ten years
> >
> > • The needs and problems faced by performance groups and festival       >
> organizers
> >
> > • The advantages and disadvantages of performance spaces in each city
> >
> > • The ways in which grantees of different Tata Trusts have tried to
> > address some of the needs and issues of performance infrastructure
>
> ~ i may be overly paranoid, but the line of questioning seems to be trying
> to get at two things: 1) document how the tatas have 'helped' cultural
> pursuit by providing infrastructure, and 2) how can the tatas gain more
> cultural mileage and brand goodwill among people (by providing more
> infrastructure).
>
> > Our grant programmes variously respond to existing demand for
> > assistance, provide opportunities for artists to explore untried
> > processes and new connections in the arts, or address systemic issues in
> > the field.
>
> ~ notice that the areas given support are 'processes' and 'systemic' issues
> in theatre? in other words, play safely academic.
>
> > The Theatre Infrastructure Cell(TIC) was set up earlier this year with  >
> the support of the Navajbai Ratan Tata Trust to look at
> strengthening  >  theatre infrastructure in the country.
>
> ~ as long as you stick to experiments in technicalities, and do not offend
> the hand that feeds you.
>
> > in as much as theatre itself is an act of taking a stance,
> > an act of principle that takes immense moral courage to execute, I
> > wonder how an artist or an artiste could work with Tata money (or money
> > from any organization funded by them) and yet be at peace with
> > himself/herself?
>
> ~ one can take a principled stance on either side of the fence. while i
> personally would find it awfully difficult to work off a tata grant, it does
> not therefore follow that all artist(e)s would therefore have the same
> difficulty.
>
> > does such 'art' have any integrity? Any moral leg to stand on?"*
>
> ~ i tend to take the word 'integrity' at dictionary value-the fact of one's
> actions being integrated with one's beliefs. by that definition, any art
> that is true to the artist's beliefs has integrity.
>
> ~ to sum up, i completely share in your horror of tata's actions at singur,
> and am equally disgusted at the way they try to play the role of the old
> kings, patronising the arts with ill-gotten money. having said that, i
> cannot impose the moral standard i hold for myself on other artists. just
> the way i would not appreciate it if they were to impose their moral
> standards on me!
>
> regards,
>
> baruk
>
> http://bottlebroke.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>


-- 
Logos Theatre
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if it be not to come, it will be now;
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Let be.