KIPAF 2014 invites fellow performers/artists to participate in this issue of performance festival to be held in Kolkata from 23rd to 26th of January, 2014.
Curatorial Note
Every Indian city has its specific forms and activities of everyday and mundane, emerged/emerging in the process of modernization of urban space. The uniqueness of those specific forms has been in constant existential tussle with the newer and, more exploitative forms of capitalism, from quite some time now. Figuratively the city of Kolkata today stands between an aspiration for neo liberal future—to be a global city, and an imagination which revolts against the idea, along with anxiety about the widespread violence that would ensue. Available political discourses represent this moment of flux to make a case in favor of or against development. We at KIPAF see this ‘tussle’ as living proof of the politically conscious, represented in their mundane expressions of resistance, as the city seeks to live up to another surge of global modernism. One of the sites for widely experiencing this politically rich content is Kolkata’s street culture. We offer you a platform to explore this political edge in the ‘mundane expressions of bared souls’ of the city by delving into the everyday, and articulating through your performances how the city symbolizes ways of resisting as well as negotiating identity—the very material condition of being human, as well as its foreclosures.
This year we plan to continue with our emphasis on movement as a way of being, and remember the travels of Parvez Kabir, a fellow artist and faculty at Kalabhaban, Shantiniketan, who left us rather suddenly this year. We shall use interactive spaces of everyday life as our platforms, move from one place to another, through serpentine alleys, performing as we go. We shall study the travels between life and death in the city’s old architectural inheritances—the ruined remains. We shall travel by tram, which too shares with Kolkata the paradox of being anachronistic as well as indispensable. We shall take over roof tops to recreate interactive spaces for performance, and perform at the Ganges ghat.
Performers independent will host and arrange for accommodation and food of the guest participants at our homes and studios. We cannot however provide travel expenses to and from Kolkata.
KIPAF 2014 : our annual commune to expand the circle of friends
Our position:
We don’t ask for project proposals from artists. We would like to invite everybody interested. Unfortunately as our resources are limited we have to stop at a certain point. So please touch us as soon as you want. We are open to receive small notes and visuals from the participants briefing their existing work and if they are planning anything for KIPAF-14.And of course, they do not need to stick to what they send. They can do whatever in the festival. But, this will expand our archive of communication and space for dialogue, and also help in planning the festival little better in terms of logistics and scheduling etc.
We don’t aim to create any commodity or service.
We try to create an atmosphere for communication among artists and friends and also with the place and its people. We presume that art rises or falls out of atmospheres.
Performance art offers us a medium where diverse disciplines can meet. We try to work with the bare minimum as far as money is concerned.
We organize KIPAF with small contributions and donations from friends and public bodies. We think it necessary to keep this festival as a place to practice art and interaction outside the patronage of big capital.
We are unable to offer the artists remunerations or travel expenses to and from Kolkata. We take responsibilities of the artists’ stay, food and local conveyance in Kolkata.
We are basically trying to work with the science and art of our traditional hospitality and local fair ( shadhu-shanga ) practices in our present art and urban contexts.
We propose the following schedule for KIPAF 2014 :
23rd January : 3 CUPS OF TEA
• Opening and introduction
• City travel to the probable architectural venues
• Evening meet and artists’ presentation
24th January : ME & MY CITY OF MIRRORS
• The day for the artist to explore
• Evening meet and artists’ presentation
25th January : VISUALS AND WORDS
• Seminar/discussion
• Performances
• Evening meet and artists’ presentation
26th January : IN THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
• Performances at architectural site
• Closing
The schedule is always subject to changes and improvisations.
Please refer to the below link for further information regarding the Kipaf 14
facebook event page link
more details coming soon
