The artistic corridor of Delhi, the Lodhi Art District was teeming with activity over the weekend as citizens and artists congregated to celebrate the city’s first-ever street festival. The Lodhi Festival organised by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in collaboration with St+art India Foundation was a two-day extravaganza with multidisciplinary performances, curated walks, and community activities. From a traditional Lavani presentation to Karsh Kale’s performance featuring the Dharavi Reloaded, and other such events, this Festival offered Delhiites the opportunity to experience the power of art. In an interview with The Morning Standard, Kiran Nadar, chairperson of KNMA, delves into the importance of this festival.
Excerpts…
The Lodhi Festival is Delhi’s first-ever street festival. Give us an insight into conceptualising this experimental event in association with St+art India Foundation.
We are in the process of building a stand-alone museum that has been conceived as a world-class cultural centre, a state-of-the-art building… a cultural powerhouse open to all. The Lodhi Festival is an effort in the same direction, encouraging viewers to explore different aspects of art at the crossroads of culture and performance. The cultural aspects of India are dance, art, music, and there are a myriad of other things that can be inculcated. Therefore, if we have visitors who come for an art show or a dance concert, it will give a greater synergy to both.
We want to celebrate the city’s vibrant culture, create opportunities for community engagement, and explore the potential of public spaces as platforms for artistic expression. Our goal was to create an event that would be accessible and engaging for people from all walks of life, while also pushing the boundaries of what a street festival could be.
With India assuming the G20 presidency this year, the government’s focus has been on giving a makeover to public spaces. Does KNMA have any plans to go beyond this two-day festival and be part of the G20 celebrations?
The museum has been working in the public art space for quite some time now. We have collaborated with the Noida Authority for a series of unique public art projects. One of the most significant initiatives was the painting of a mural installation within the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) underpass in Noida. Additionally, we also worked with the authorities to create unique public art installations at ten metro stations. These installations aimed to elevate the dialogue on the arts, redefine the traditional role of museums, and inspire and engage a wider demographic with art. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to showcase art and inspire people, finding innovative and non-intimidating ways to showcase art and make it accessible to everyone.
Our public art initiatives are an ongoing outreach activity for us, and we are committed to promoting the arts and reaching out to diverse audiences. We believe that art should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or socio-economic status. We are also in talks with G20 organisers to see how intrinsically we can be involved in more cultural initiatives, so hopefully we will have more to share in due course.
In the past, you’ve mentioned that The Lodhi Festival “celebrates the spirit of New Delhi”. Can you elaborate?
It’s an open festival free for all to attend and brought together people from different walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds. It celebrates the unity in diversity that is the hallmark of Delhi… a symbol of the city’s inclusive and cosmopolitan spirit.
Making art accessible to all has been your objective from the start. How important is engaging communities to democratise art and educate them?
Art in its all form has the power to inspire, provoke, and challenge us, and it can have a profound impact on our lives. However, for many people, the world of art can be intimidating and exclusive, and they may feel that it is not meant for them. This is where community engagement becomes critical. Engaging communities through artistic and cultural discourses is a powerful way to democratise art and make it accessible to everyone.