Vrishchik, Year 2. A Supplement

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VRISHCHIK •

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We feel that it is high time the active artists of this Country spelt out in unequivocal terms their dissent with the constitution and working of Lalit Kala Akademi.

The responsibilities of Lalit Kala Akademi extend to advising the Government on art matters, organizing exhibitions within the country and abroad, organizing seminars within the country and the creation of an awareness of Indian art through its publications etc., to discover and promote new and young talents and to assist and guide the regional akademies and other art institutions.

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That its record in the last fifteen years is such as can please only the most complacent is pretty evident. Instead of becoming rallying point for the more progressive and creative elements in this country it is regressi ng year by year into being a hotbed of mediocrity and regional intrigues trying to perpetuate itself by politicking. Gresham's law of currency obtains here too. Those who had tried to bring changes from within were outnumbered and could not sllstain the mistaken belief that good sense and good intentions would prevail. And so Lalit Kala Akademi tumbles along year after year. The skirmishes which are fought around its tables are not concerning art but the conflict of regional pulls and pressures and those who are at the helm of affairs are politicians of art.

It is not unnatural therefore that these conditions should have produced the progressively

declining standards of art as is apparent from the National exhibitions. They are clearly an attempt to appease and reconcile regional demands by sacrificing vigour and vitality.

The fact that the Government has set up two commissions during the past six years also shows that it is aware that things are far from being well.

The manner in which the forthcoming Triennale is being organized is indicative of its disregard of the highest standards which should be its concern. Being apparently quite aware of the compromising nature of the Indian Section, it has suitably dispersed authority to make it anonymous and the question of pinpointing responsibility will never arise.

It has had three years to organize this Triennale and inspite ' of the pompous and pious

resolutions passed three years ago, nothing seems to have happened- at least as far as the Indian participation is concerned. Not a single artist outside of- the Akademi has been informed about the dates of the exhibition or the procedures to be adopted. Perhaps the Akademi in its wisdom has thought of limiting the participation to its members only, or to whistle for paintings from Indian 'artists and they will be sent post haste just as it does when scrambling lip shows for participation in foreign countries. What happened at the recent Bienalle at Sao Pdolo is a classic instance which is little known amongst

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artists. The paintings never arrived though our representative did! . The Lalit Kala Akademi officials blightly imagine that they can collect the cream of Indian art in two months in addition to making new discoveries. , We believe that this organization is completely reduudant and the best that can happen to it is for it to become a safe complacent academic body, a morgue for art, capable only of satisfying the lust for puny power. We also believe that the most creative elements into this country should have nothing to do with Lalit Kala Akademi as their presence lends a false sense of vitality to it.

For the Lalit Kala Akademi can be rectified only through drastic surgery and no number of face lifts will change it. The constitution will have to be scrapped altogether and a fresh one made on a different basis.

This is 110t the time or place to be writing out a new cOllstitution ( proposals for a new constitution will be published by VRISHCHIK in due course ). •

A glance at the workings of the Akademi will show that its members consider that they are repositories of all talent in this country and they have hardly ever looked olltside the four waUs of the Committee room, when considering sending out delegations abroad or making up the publication programme.

There are at present members on board of Lalit Kala Akademi who have been there it seems since the inception of the Akademi and we have no doubt that if Lalit Kala Akademi continues in it present form they will remain glued to it. These self-appointed fathers of art, bearing no relation to what has happened or is happening in the country or elsewhere are permanent fixtures and constrictions which prevent the healthy flow of blood.

It is in the very nature of the present set up that phoney issues are created instead of the

real issues in art today. One has only to see the subjects chosen for their seminars or their programmes of artists' camps presided over by one of these dig11,itaries.

Under these circumstances, we believe that there is absolutegy no point in participating anyway whatsoever with the Akademi as it is. It should be allowed to wear its true academic face, without seeking to mask it by involving the most dynamic and significant ones once in a way. Its private [ace should also be its public face.

So we call upon the artists of India to join llS in declaring unequivocally that unless the Lalit Kala Akademi changes its constitution and reconsiders its programmes, we will withhold our participation in all its activities as they are, whether be it present Triennale or the National Exhibitions or any of its future programmes.

R. N. 15189{69

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c#{s VRISHCHIK A SUPPLEME NT No,ember 10, 1970 Editors : Gulam Sheikh Bhupen Khakhar 4 Residency Bungalow University office compound Baroda 2. Gujarat. India,

Vrishchik publishes tl)is supplement after a number of artists in Qelhi, Bombay and Baroda have decided to boycott the forthcoming Triennale and the future activities of the central Lalit Kala Akademi. The artists in dissent have drafted a letter which is published here alongwith a card for the possible signatories. As mentioned elsewhere, names of all the artist.s, art critics and others will be published in the December issne of Vrishchik.

We hear disquiet in the echelons of the Establiislunent and the secretary of the Lalit Kala is running around the country to negotiate a compromise with the artists. This unhealthy method of neutralising individuals by personal contact smells of false promises, as ' Akademi has not yet made any public statement as regards the policy of the Trlennale or its own affairs.

We call upon all the thinking artists, art路critics and others not to heed to the ever so deceptive plans of the Akademi, as it is evident tbat the Akademi can lzot change its policies lInlii its constitution changes. Let this boycott of artists become a true challenge against conformism, complacency and misworkings of 'the Akademi for all these years, and let the thinking public realise the meaning, significance and strength of the protest of the artists of India.

Publi ~ lll!d by Gulam Sheikh [com 4 Residency Bungalow, University Office Compound, Baroda- 2 and printed by A. N. Joglckur at 3- A Associates, 4-5, Laxmi Estate, DahJ.lcharaji Road , Baroda.