[Reader-list] Call for Entries: Partition Graphic Anthology

[vishwajyoti ghosh]

*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 in 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 are 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.
The current generation of young scholars, activists, artists, media persons
and creative professionals did not live through this epoch-making event.
They are still struggling with facts and figures and they explore the
socio-political imperatives, identify commons, try to make sense of the
memories and images. They are attempting to piece together the consequences
of the Partition 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, as we all know, no single narritive can
comprehensively tell the story of Partition, nor can 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*

• Restorying: Narratives from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, will have
Vishwajyoti Ghosh, author of Delhi Calm as Volume Editor. The book will be
published by YODA PRESS in partnership with Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller
Bhavan.
• 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 onetime 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.

*The deadline for sending in the storyline alongwith 2 style sheets (final
style of visuals/layouts 0n the page), etc., is 7th November 2011. *
* *
*Submissions/ queries to be sent by mail to: partitionantho at gmail.com*

*ABOUT THE PROJECT PARTNERS*

NOTE ABOUT CURATOR/EDITOR:
Vishwajyoti Ghosh, a graphic novelist and filmmaker is the author of the
graphic novel 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. YODAKIN, the bookstore started by YODA PRESS in
Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi offers books and periodicals by independent
publishers, documentary cinema by Indian filmmakers, selected world cinema,
and music by independent record labels and musicians. With YODAKIN, the
publishing house now has a space where it connects with like-minded
enterprises and individuals, and where it curates entire series of events
around the issues and strategies discussed by the titles on its list.



-- 
Vishwajyoti Ghosh
www.penbrush.page.tl
http://vishwajyoti.wordpress.com