Artistes come together for Sahmat exhibition

An exhibition by Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) here voices the concerns of artistes from Delhi and Mumbai, over the growing "climate of intolerance" which was dominant in the year that went by.
As part of SAHMAT's day-long celebration of its 27th memorial to playwright Safdar Hashmi, the exhibition titled "Avaaz Do!" is a "platform for artistes to express themselves through their creative work," Ram Rahman, Founder, SAHMAT, said at its inauguration today.
"These works have been specially made by artists in response to the climate of fear and threats to our freedom of expression and lifestyle choices which have become endemic in the recent past," he said.

The showcase takes a dig at multiple issues ranging from the Award Wapsi campaign by writers and filmmakers, to the recently concluded tussle between the Centre and Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) among others.
Artiste Pradip Gupta's installation titled "Homage," he says, "is dedicated to Mohammad Ikhlaq's family."
Ikhlaq (50) was lynched and his 22-year-old son was severely injured in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri district last year after rumours spread in the area about the family storing and consuming beef.

Gupta's artwork comprises of a mechanically erected pumping heart that inflates and deflates representing its beats.
The artist expresses his anguish at the incident through this piece of art, for Gupta's heart is made out of "cow leather" and to represent the "alarming communal scenario" prevailing in the country, he has placed it beside a basil (tulsi) plant that is considered auspicious by the Hindus.

Other participating artists include Atul and Anju Dodiya, Meera Devidayal, Lalitha Lajmi, the recently deceased Hema Upadhyay, Jitish Kallat and Reena Saini Kallat among others.
The exhibition also has a section titled "Assault on Reason" which is a graphic compilation of the newspaper and magazine reports about several incidents including the FTII tussle, the Award Wapsi campaign and earlier instances of hate speech, Love Jihad and the ban on the novel by Tamil author Perumal Murugan.
"These are all press reports on or related to what has been happening in the country in past one-one and a half years," Rahman says.

The cultural events which kicked off today afternoon with street plays (nukkad natak) include performances by Tanveer-Iqbal from the Delhi Gharana of Hindustani Classical music, followed by Astad Deboo's rendition of Indian contemporary dance and a Danstangoi recital by Navtej Johar among others.
Hashmi was attacked during a performance of his play "Halla Bol" on January 1, 1989 in the neighbouring Sahibabad area and died the next day.