Pride of place in the arts

Indian artists showcase their considerable talent at Adelaide’s OzAsia Festival

BY FRANKEY GERARD

hit to hit chatting easily with the crowd, many of who were feeling free to chat right back. His enthusiastic wife and curly haired young boy were present also,

“I want to honour them (parents of Indian migrants) and the gift they have given to Australia through their children. By honouring them we are also affirming the welcome for their next generation and the importance of family to Indian culture”

Daniel Connell

Australia’s elder programme, who collaborated with Connell on the exhibition was the 21mx4m outdoor wall mural made of reflective tape imported from Turbans and Transport, it depicted 5 faces, portraits of young men working in the transport sector in Adelaide, and drew a link to them and the long history since Afghan cameleers of transport and turban clad photojournalist Himanshu Vyas, a columnist and photographer for His works described the journey to Samsara and most beautifully encapsulated the subtle philosophy of Ramta player ..seer.. mover.. observer. of time and change in Indian families. In simple silver pyjamas, male and female dancers and musicians worked in unison to create surprising patterns and rhythms. Sheer delight!

Kher power

Kailash Kher dominated the Festival Theatre and charmed audiences in Hinglish with stories of Adelaide and ‘Randal Mall’, as he joked. His voice was godlike, faultless and soaring. That such a mega-star came only to Adelaide to perform was a rare and wonderful treat for SA, and an immense coup for OzAsia. The audience who were lucky enough to hear him would attest enthusiastically to this as aunties swooned and reminisced, young women kicked off their heels and danced on stage, and young men raised their arms in the aisles in ecstatic appreciation. This was India time! Kailash moved from this was an overview, but certainly well worth the visit.

Seniors reflect

The Ramta Drig Collective, a trio comprising of Daniel Connell (Adelaide), Himanshu Vyas (Jaipur) and Amit Kalla (Jaipur), created a three-part exhibition called REFLECT. Drawing on ideas of art as collaboration, the group involved senior members of the Indian community some months prior to the opening of the exhibition, through conducting interviews and drawing portraits. The aim of this was to honour the parents of recent migrants many of whom now shuttle between India and Australia often confronting all the questions of separation, translocation, culture clash and language barriers while being limited to a home in an unfamiliar suburb.

“There are many parents here now,” said Connell. “I want to rich. It enticed many community members into the gallery space, many of who would not normally come there.

REFLECT’s opening night saw a 300-strong audience, with Prof Pal Ahluwalia speaking about ‘home in motion’. The Lieutenant Governor, Minister for the Arts and art’s elite mingled with artists and a hundred senior members of the Indian community. One guest was the mother of a young man now living in Adelaide who had, just a week ago, travelled from her tiny village in the Himalayas to visit him. She had never left her village before, never been on a train, and is now a celebrity in one of Adelaide’s finest venues. As it should be!

“When we were acknowledged from the stage at the opening night, that moment was unexplainable!” said Maninder Bir Singh, a representative of the Guru Nanak Society of South

The trio continued to work in the gallery space over the period of the exhibition, and then travelled to Port Augusta, thanks to the University of South Australia Human Rights and Security Research and Innovation Cluster. They proceeded onto the Flinders Ranges where the Rajasthani pair performed puja outside an ancient Aboriginal cave painting site on a hill and lit incense in honour of our common ancestors overlooking the outback plains. Next, they journeyed to Whyalla with other international delegates including Indians, to attend the International Rural Networks Conference and meet indigenous artists.

The vibrant and positive Moon Lantern Festival captured the spirit of India again with bhangra. Bollywood and kathak dancing featured consistently and the audience, loving the Indian energy, clearly took all Asia to its heart.

Next year, OzAsia will shine the spotlight on Malaysia and again serve up a treat for SA audiences. Adelaide can’t wait.

At the Flinders Ranges the Rajasthani pair performed puja outside an ancient Aboriginal cave painting site on a hill and lit incense in honour of our common ancestors overlooking the outback plains.