[Reader-list] Call for Entries: RESTORYING -- Narratives from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India

[Chintan Girish Modi]

>From http://www.yodapress.com/callforentry.html

*RESTORYING: Narratives from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India*

* CALL FOR ENTRIES*

*
'The shadows retreated*

*into the roots of each tree,*

*but we remained where we were.’*

-Craig Thompson, Blankets

*THE PARTITION ANTHOLOGY*

Over sixty years of independence have done little to diminish the interest
and engagement with the division of the Indian subcontinent into two and
then three sovereign independent states. Mapmaking, exodus, memories and
curiosity have become a permanent part of the lives of its citizens on all
sides of the various borders.

For over three generations now, the most definitive formative moment in
modern South Asian history, Partition, has remained an area of constant
engagement for scholars, artists, journalists and commentators manifesting
their explorations through academic research, reportage and most importantly
creative encounters through art, literature and films. However, this
cross-border engagement, like cross-border migration, has not ended with a
generation or two. It is an ongoing exercise.

More acutely so in the case of Partition, as the current generation of young
scholars, activists, artists, media persons and creative professionals who
did not live through this epoch-making event, are still struggling with
facts and figures, exploring the socio-political imperatives, identifying
commons, trying to make sense of the memories and images, attempting to
piece together the consequences, in an effort to come to terms with both the
tangibility of the schism and life beyond, as well as the many related
events that play themselves out in sectarian rhetoric all over the
subcontinent. In their own way, many across the subcontinent are seeking a
space for dialogue.

In this regard, it would be important to explore this engagement of the
subcontinent’s younger generation with an iconic event in a graphic
narrative exploiting and experimenting with the possibilities of visual
storytelling. At the same time, no one artist can comprehensively tell the
story of Partition, nor can he/she hope to represent the entire gamut of
responses that the memory, history and legacy of Partition evokes. For this
reason, it is proposed to involve artists from India, Bangladesh and
Pakistan and bring together a Partition Anthology in a Comic or Graphic
Novel Format.

The idea is to bring together storytellers from diverse practices and
professions and explore the possibilities on the drawing board from their
particular perspectives. *The Partition Anthology seeks graphic narratives
or comics from comic book artists, writers, artists, illustrators, film
makers, theatre artists and every other storyteller across the subcontinent.
*

We seek more exploration on Partition, by fiction and non-fiction
writers/storytellers.

The idea of bringing together a graphic anthology on a theme like Partition
is also to explore the engagement of the fourth generation in a genre that
is of great interest to young readers across the world. For the contributors
and the readers too it would throw open a platform for a dialogue in a
visual space, in black and white, and in print.

*‘Guftagu bund na ho*

*Baat se baat chale*

*Subh tak sham-e-mulaqat chale*

*Hum pe hansti hui yeh taron bhari raat chale’*

(Keep the conversation going.

One word leading to another

The evening rendezvous lasting till dawn,

The starry night laughing down with us.)

-Ali Sardar Jaffri/ The Youthful Boatman of Joy

*PROJECT DETAILS*

   - The Graphic Anthology on Partition will have Vishwajyoti
Ghosh<http://vishwajyoti.wordpress.com/>,
   author of *Delhi Calm,* as Volume Editor. The book will be published by
   YODA PRESS. The Goethe
Institut<http://www.goethe.de/ins/in/ned/enindex.htm?wt_sc=newdelhi>is
supporting the Project.
   - Comic book artists, writers, artists, illustrators, film makers,
   photographers, theatre artists and storytellers from Pakistan, India and
   Bangladesh and such nationals from the world are invited to contribute to
   the anthology that would be released in August 2012.
   - The anthology will publish only ORIGINAL stories by the authors. The
   anthology does not seek illustrated versions of classic narratives, or any
   author’s text whose consent has not been taken.
   - Around 20 selected narratives will be published in the anthology.
   - The narratives can be by a single author or through collaboration
   between more.
   - We seek a range of stories within the genres of fiction, reportage,
   non-fiction; documentary, poetic narratives, even abstract narratives, etc.
   as long as there is a comprehensible story that moves from Point A to Point
   B to Point Z. Experimentation is more than welcome as long as there is a
   story!
   - Just as we seek a range of stories, visually too we look forward to a
   range of styles from conventional comics, photo comics, mixed media,
   collage, etc.
   - Text vs. Visuals: The idea of a graphic narrative is to sync the text
   and visuals together where they both take the story forward. The authorship
   of the text and the visuals should come out individually yet together
   seamlessly make the same narrative. For those who might be attempting the
   genre for the first time or collaborating, it will be important to keep this
   in mind.


*OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS*

Copyright: All rights will rest with the authors for their respective
pieces. However it will be expected that the contribution is first released
in the Anthology and then if anywhere else. Also publishing the contribution
simultaneously elsewhere is not expected.

In the case of collaboration, both the writer and artist will enjoy equal
authorship.

Honorarium: All contributions will be awarded a single time, fixed
honorarium for the same. In case of a contribution having more than a single
artist, the honorarium will be divided equally among the number of
contributors.

Size: Page Size: 16.5 cm. (width) X 23 cm. (height)

Artwork Size: 13.2 cm. (width) X 19.5 cm. (height)

In case of bleed the page size will be the final size.

Colours: Black & White only

*No. of Pages*: A contribution can be of minimum 4 pages to a maximum of 16
pages. This would also include a single page for the cover of the
contribution.

*STAGE I*: At this stage we will look forward to a final storyline laid out
on the page (scribbles will do at this stage) & style sheets, i.e., two
pages with the final style laid out the way it’ll be appear in the final
version. *The deadline for sending in storylines/style sheets, etc.,
is 7thNovember 2011.
*

*Submissions/ queries to be sent by mail to:
**partitionantho at gmail.com*<partitionantho at gmail.com>

*ABOUT THE PROJECT PARTNERS*

*NOTE ABOUT CURATOR/EDITOR*
Vishwajyoti Ghosh <http://vishwajyoti.wordpress.com/>, a graphic novelist
and filmmaker is the author of *Delhi Calm*, a political graphic novel set
during the Emergency of the 70s. Based in New Delhi, Ghosh has worked across
the subcontinent with organizations in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. As a
founder member of the Pao Collective, he also remains an active and dynamic
participant in graphic/comics artists’ collective projects and works often
with graphic artists from different parts of South Asia.

*NOTE ABOUT PUBLISHER*
YODA PRESS has been publishing quality titles since 2004 in an effort to
build cohesive lists on subjects which represent the alternative
contemporary South Asia. Its focus on sexuality, new perspectives in Indian
history, urban studies and popular and visual culture has been widely
appreciated, and after eight years in the publishing trade, it can now claim
to have a list of titles by a whole range of specialists, scholars,
activists and litterateurs reflecting contemporary concerns and cutting-edge
strategies. With the opening of YODAKIN, the bookstore started by YODA PRESS
in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, for books and periodicals by independent
publishers, documentary cinema by Indian filmmakers, selected world cinema,
and music by independent record labels and musicians, the house now has a
space where it connects with like-minded enterprises and individuals, and
curates an entire series of events around the issues and strategies
discussed by the titles on its list.

*NOTE ABOUT Goethe-Institut, Delhi*
The Goethe-Institut<http://www.goethe.de/ins/in/ned/enindex.htm?wt_sc=newdelhi%27>organizes
and promotes a wide spectrum of cultural events in Delhi and other
north Indian cities with the aim of presenting German culture, particularly
its contemporary aspects, in India. Its artistic and reflexive programmes
and projects are developed in close cooperation with Indian partner
institutions.