/ARTS WEEKLY/CULTURE: Arts Project Goes Beyond Boundaries

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Roxanne Toh

BANGKOK, Nov 24 2003 (IPS) - ”When I explained to O my wish to present this (shopping) bag at Womanifesto as an item that stands for the ex-political prisoners’ struggle to manage their daily life. and also the lives of their families, he agreed.”

”Asked if there was anything he wants to put in the bag, he said: ‘Perhaps a rose. It is a symbol of democracy — it’s got thorns but it is so beautiful that it gives us hope.”’

O had received the bag as a present from a fellow ex-political prisoner in Burma, whose name was Z.

The story of O and Z was how the person who shared it, identified as P C T from Bangkok, wanted to interpret the theme of ‘Procreation/Postcreation’ – also the title of a book launched here this month as the product of the international women’s art project called ‘Womanifesto’.

The book had stories and images of pregnant women, some colourful yet others what some might find morbidly portrayed, scribbled poems which told of painful abortions or the exhilarating experience of being a father for the very first time.

Contributors were free to turn in poems, collages or series of photographs. They were artists and non-artists, females and males alike from all over the world – as far as Argentina, the Czech Republic, Pakistan, and the Netherlands.

”The theme itself belongs to all of us, applicable to all of us. There is no one person’s opinion or artwork above others,” explains Varsha Nair, one of the main organisers of Womanifesto, an artist-initiated event which had called for the submissions late last year.

Announcements were posted on relevant websites and publications, particularly in n.paradoxa, a British-based international feminist art journal. The project team also distributed flyers and relied on personal networks.

‘Procreation/Postcreation’ held its first event in 1997. It is typically inspired by the recent spate of world events – including, for instance, the Sep. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Previously, the group had held several workshops, seminars and art exhibitions in Thailand, where it is primarily based.

Nair, a bachelor in fine arts degree holder from Maharaja Sayaji Rao University in Baroda, India, continues: ”If you look at the theme. in terms of the concept, it’s very deeply thought out. It goes beyond what you see on the surface – no boundaries involved and breaking down the hierarchy that exists.”

True to this ”concept”, ”we didn’t curate (the works) because we want to share these differences (in culture, traditions and thinking), and different ideas,” adds Preenun Nana, who is in the project organising team with Nair, excitedly.

So, flip through the book and let a single mother from Argentina share with you an artwork from her diary or read about how an anonymous Estonian lady’s two previous abortions had come back to haunt both her son and her – perhaps one of the more thought-provoking and intriguing stories.

And in every sense of ”’no boundaries involved”’, the book has adopted an unorthodox physical form as well every piece of work is on its own, sharing neither a spine nor cover with the rest.

Nair believes that this ”format” preserves the very essence of individuality in each of the 88 works printed on sheets, which together are wrapped in a frosted sheet of paper and contained in a flat cardboard box.

Funded by the Bangkok regional office of The Rockefeller Foundation, ‘Procreation/Postcreation’ is a collection of ”personal stories, old and new beliefs and tales.sayings.(and) recipes.” and an invitation to adopt different viewpoints on global issues.

Womanifesto aims to develop networks for participants and encourage interaction among members of ”urban and rural communities” through contemporary art, which many people perceive merely as display or decorative pieces.

”Contemporary art is that and much more today. In eastern tradition, art and culture are always part of our society. A lot of craft bonds that date back to hundreds of years are still used in daily living by a lot of communities and are very valuable, ” Nair maintains.

And indeed, the compilation of works that saw no restrictions whatsoever, symbolises the reality of life, where differences need to be accepted and respected.

Take for example one of the contributors’ works – ”Table is ready # 1 and Table is ready # 2”.

In this digital work, Ingrid AR from France has taken two brightly-coloured photographs, which she had laid side by side. One of them shows a scatter of plastic toy babies lying on a floor of tiny plates and bowls, with accompanying utensils. The other shows just one plastic toy baby lying on a plate, black stains on its body and a green plastic fork lying on its legs.

This could be an attempt by Ingrid AR to convey that although the eating of human foetus is ostracised by many, it is still being practiced for the supposed medical properties that are beneficial.

There is certainly no need for Womanifesto to hold any exhibitions or workshops all the time, to ”develop a forum and new spaces for representation”, which Nair feels is limiting to their creative process.

Thus, ”Procreation/Postcreation” is quite enough in attempting to involve anyone, everyone and anything. (END/IPS/AP/AE/WD/RT/JS/03)