Art Routes - Ways of Seeing
We, JohnyML (art critic and curator), Somu Desai (artist) and Feroze Babu (Photographer and Web designer), are undertaking a road trip through six states in India, namely Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra.
The trip starts on 18th February 2009 and we are expected to touch base in Baroda by 7th March 2009.
Our aim is to visit small town art colleges, art and craft production centers and make visual and literary documentations. The out come of this road trip will be published as a book by the end of 2009.
The idea of this trip came to us almost a year back when we visited an art college in Amalsad, Gujarat. We found so many talented students there but they were not aware of what was going on in contemporary art in India or elsewhere. Linguistic limitations, lack of access and lack of facilities and opportunities are the major reasons why these talents never make it big in the art scene.
This trip also aims at suggesting some solutions for these problems. We would like to make a detailed report on these institutions and send it to the major galleries across the country so that they could help these students and institutions in whatever manner suits to them.
We seek your blessings and support for this venture.
Yours truly,
JohnyML, Somu Desai, Feroze Babu
Ways of Seeing Team
Somu Desai, Johny ML and Feroze Babu
JohnyML
JohnyML is a Delhi based writer, curator and art critic. He has been active in the Indian contemporary art scene for the last fifteen years. He has curated several shows and has contributed scholarly articles to many publications. Currently he edits www.artconcerns.com. Read his blogs at www.johnyml.com
Somu Desai
Somu Desai works from Pardi, Vapi, Mumbai and Baroda. He is an accomplished public projects executor and co-ordinator. He works in different mediums and is interested in doing site specific works. Recently he finished the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Mural Project’ at the Art Home Project Space, Baroda.
Feroze Babu
Feroze Babu is one of the accomplished photojournalists and former chief photographer with the Malayala Manorama Group of Publications. He pursues his interests in traveling and photography. Currently he works as a web designer. Several of his works have been published in international books and journals. He resides in Kochi.