BENGALURU: The earth isn’t one vast expanse of land and water. Geography books may claim so, but the truth is that it is sliced into compartments, big and small. Over the years, all of us find the one that we belong to and slowly and surely, settle down inside its confines. Familiarity envelops us within this space, conversations are predictable and we bask in the warmth of the known.
Software experts rejoice in the company of other digital minds, medical professionals are at ease in their sanitised discussions and writers flock to literary festivals like a fish takes to water. Compartments are indeed fulfilling - like the unexpected Indian meal one savours on that European vacation. The world of art too, is one such safe cocoon for all artists and those connected to art the critics, the art writers and the gallerists. Artists reside within its boundaries, secure in the knowledge that art speaks a singular language.
Studios turn into meeting points where laughter blends with philosophy while art world gossip colours palettes. What is more, even incomplete sentences are understood by members of the ilk, for when has art ever relied on words? Gallery settings are no different. They are merely better lit, grander and more formal spaces, yet falling into the same category.
The guests at the art exhibition are art literate, their exchanges over wine and cheese are what an artist is accustomed to, the art is examined without explanations sought, the concept note provided is read to fill up the gaps in one’s interpretation of the artworks and obviously, the sense of belonging that the artist feels is a natural outcome. Life however, can never be about comfort zones.
Stepping out of it into unchartered territories is what has led to the biggest discoveries and the greatest inventions in the history of mankind. No man unwilling to venture out of his self-imposed borders could have ever landed on the moon! And so, when artists are invited to showcase their creations in alien areas, far removed from their cosy surroundings, it requires a willingness to learn and adapt.
Commercial establishments have started opening their doors to art, by hosting shows inside their premises that last a weekend or two. Planned as a subtle marketing strategy to provide their customers with a unique experience, these events often prove to be discomforting for the artist initially. Uprooting art from its conventional base is not as easy or fancy as it sounds.
Faced with an audience unexposed to art and wanting to be spoon-fed with meanings and stories, the artist undergoes a feeling of displacement. Then there are those who display a complete lack of interest, bordering on boredom, that leaves one exasperated and wanting to run back to that safe haven in the art world.
Nothing that remains enclosed in a protective casket has made an impact in this world. It is only when art also occupies unconventional spaces and artists speak in languages not their own, can it truly become accessible to humanity and perhaps, shape the course of the world’s history.