Swati Rai
What started as an artists’ collective in September last is becoming the voice of artists from across the country and across various fields. Together, artists and performers from literature, art, multimedia, music and other cultural practitioners from across India are celebrating democracy and freedom of speech and expression. Self-funded by voluntary donations, the collective recently organised programmes in public spaces across the country, including cities like Pune, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
The collective is the brainchild of filmmaker couple Saba Dewan and Rahul Roy. Dewan shares the idea behind it: “Artists Unite is a platform for the coming together of like-minded artists from across genres and geographical boundaries to raise their voice against hatred.”
Perhaps the most historic one of these programmes was held in the Capital with the iconic Red Fort playing host. Apart from being centrally located, Dewan underlines the historic and political significance of the Red Fort. “What better place than this building in red sandstone to talk about freedom of speech? This is the venue of the Prime Minister’s annual address to the nation, and also, if we go back in history, its significance in the uprising of 1857 can’t be discounted.”
Three stages were set up at the venue. The two-day event saw performances by more than 200 artists. With musical recitals by artists such as Shubha Mudgal, Sonam Kalra, Rabbi Shergill and dance and theatrical presentations by Maya Rao and Astand Deboo amongst others, the Fort ramparts seemed to echo with the voice of oneness of artists in their fight against hatred. The Artists Unite Declaration, which has been signed by more than 800 artists and counting, upholds politics free of hatred and the right to dissent in a democracy.
Dewan says it is not only liberating to be able to perform and express ourselves from the heart but also exhilarating to see support for the initiative. “Without any organised external funding, the coming together of artists as one was heartening.”
from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2H0OHnP
via Today’s News Headlines
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