The Alchemy of Air, Water and Strom and Me

Blur Borders International Performance Art Exchange 2024

6th August 2024 : 2nd-day @Talumpuk Cape, Nakhon Si Thammarat.Thailand 

organized and curated by
Mongkol Plienbangchang and Aor Nopawan

Photography by 

Apisak Ratchakwan

Doudwang

photo modification  by 

Ender Rodriguez

This performance was at the seaside, a beautiful spot where the land shaped in a triangular edge connects to the sea. The team told us that there were many mosquitos on the beach. We had the honour of meeting the mayor of the Nkhom si Thimmarat, along with an inspiring environmentalist couple who are passionately dedicated to their buffalo farm. We went in the mayor's car to see the beach spot where we had to perform. It was afternoon, Sun was sharp. We had to choose our spots and think about our actions.

I went around the beach area. I came across many seashells and a tree branch, so I collected them and chose a spot for the performance. The next day, we had a performance in the evening. I spent time deciding what to wear and preparing my props, which included branches and tying all the collected shells. This time, we were in a different hotel where they warned us to be careful of snakes. I also sewed a flag for my performance. On the day of the performance, the program had two parts. First, there were two performances, followed by a long lunch break, during which we were eager to perform.

The second half started, and my turn was 8th. Suddenly, the weather changed when it was my turn to perform; it was stormy and windy with heavy rains. The curator, Aor Nopawan, asked if I still wanted to perform in the rain Since the photographers would not be able to"document the performances due to the heavy rains. I was restless and desperate to perform in the sea, but despite the chaos and stress, I was determined to go to sea. The sea was calling, and I couldn't hold back any longer. It was intense with the strong rains and wind, making it difficult to control the elements.

 

I was there in the sea, waving a flag and balloon tied to my branches, dancing in the wind. The experience was powerful, and I felt small in front of nature. The alchemy of air, water, and storm created a unique and magical environment. These conditions and situations are rare, and even if artists ask for them, they cannot replicate the power of nature. I merged into the environment, still playing my mouth instruments and communicating with the universe. Words cannot describe how wonderful that moment was. I wish I were a writer. It is difficult to capture the transformative power of nature when humans are small in comparison. I felt like I was still a part of it all. The emotions were overwhelming and intense. The photographers who were brave enough to capture me in that rain - I'm so grateful to them for allowing me to share pictures of that incredible moment. The action was an attempt to give back the objects given by sea to us, the sea shells and things I had collected from the beachside, the balance of aspiration, hope and life in the heavy tides of a storm.

Dimple B Shah

In Search of Siam (Suvarnabhumi - The land of Gold)

Blur Borders International Performance Art Exchange 2024

3 August : 1st day @Talenoi Phattalung,Thailand 

organized and curated by
Mongkol Plienbangchang and Aor Nopawan

Photography by 

Apisak Ratchakwan

In Search of Siam (Survanabhumi – The Land of Gold): This First Performance in Thailand. It was in response to the old name of Thailand, Siam. The term Siam (Thai: สยาม RTGS: Sayam) might have come from Pali (suvaṇṇabhūmi, meaning land of gold), Sanskrit श्याम (śyāma, meaning -dark), or Mon (rhmañña, meaning stranger), possibly having the same root as Shan and Ahom.

As I researched Thailand, I was inspired and drawn to the historical significance of the temple, space objects and things that resonated with my subconscious mind. A vision of objects and connections started creating sequences and scenes in my mind like a film reel. Gradually, I developed my work by learning and observing the wetland, a beautiful green zone in small segments of the island. The environment was very similar to the Kerala backwaters.

 On the first day, we went on a tour in a small boat. On the way, we saw a large fishing structure made of bamboo. The landscape transformed with the first ray of sunlight, and this beautiful bamboo structure sometimes looked like an animal walking on water. Still, the morning image is fresh in my mind. We came across people fishing, floating rice fields, beautiful lotus fields, and the island site where we had to perform.

Upon first glance, the site and the water seemed fantastic. Numerous images of potential actions flooded my mind. The challenge lay in figuring out how to transport the materials. With this in mind, I began collecting bamboo. I stumbled upon many bamboo sticks on the ground and noticed several other artists working and gathering bamboo. At first, I considered abandoning the idea. However, I started to rethink the possibilities. I chose a location for my performance. Later, we returned to the hotel room and found ourselves in a cozy, beautiful wooden room filled with wonderful memories of the day trip and the experience of the lotus field. 

At night, the phrase 'Siam', lotus fields and fishing structure strongly resonated with me, and I performed In Search of Siam (Suvannabhoomi - The Land of Gold). The passage explores the origins of the term 'Siam' and its possible connections to India and the Prakrit language. It also discusses the metaphorical interpretation of "Shyam" (Krishna) and its association with the colour blue. Metaphorically and poetically, it was an attempt to reimage and touch upon the idea of the imagination of people of the land, Siam people arriving via a sea route.

I want to call out to the name Siam, the Dark/ Krishna and the people of Thailand. Many thoughts echoed in my mind simultaneously. It might have created a response from an audience trying to connect and understand my performance. It was strange that many locals needed to learn the history of Siam in Thailand. Is the young generation cut from the past? I wonder why they cut off or were just ignorant of the history of Thailand. There are a lot of trade and cultural connections between Thailand and India. I tried to reestablish it through my actions.

Dimple B Shah Performed on 3 August 2024 1st day @Talenoi Phattalung

A Psychological Thirst – Manmade Disaster

 

Venue - 1. Bangalore International Center 28th April 2024
             2. Ragi Kana 19th May 2024

    Event - 75th Edition and 76th Edition of Art Park Bengaluru

Neeru Neeru..

What happens when you see life sources become scarce?

When we keep a blind eye to the realities of life

Our greed takes over the necessity.

When we encroach on wetlands build towers,

Who should we blame?

Neeru …Neeru…In my dreams, I hear the sound of water drops.

Each drop of water becomes precious. Scarcity knocks on the doors.

Summer days are long Climate change is everywhere

Sometimes the wait is long.

Pots are empty

Throat is dry

Plants are drying

The animals are dying

Can water be replaced by anything else?

Dirt, froth and chemicals make a dance in our lake

The fight is on time to manage with minimum water

Sometimes, the wait is long.

The sound of tanker trucks on the end of the road

Ah! What a sense of relief

The demand is more than the supply.

What will be our future?

If we keep our blind eyes to the life source Is the end coming closer?

Even Indra (the rain god) seems to punish us for what we have done

Another day an Instagram reel of someone taking Dristi of Bangalore

There should be mantra to get back our lakes and wetlands.

We waited for rain few drops came and disappeared to make our dosa on a hot pan someone shared a joke in my post.

Childhood emotions revoked I remembered the Tanir Tanir Tamil movie

A State of Mind 'A Psychological Thirst’.

Thirst…. Thirst Neeru… Neeru nowhere shrinking body and mind, loss of hope and life source

Maybe not everyone feels the pinch

I sit in the sun-baked living room and ponder what our future holds

An urban tale of a smart city's … concrete desert.

I perform with my body enduring the mental trauma of procuring water

It is an everyday ritual...reflect with my body act. 

(Poem Written on 27th April 2024)

My Sincere Thanks to  

SG Vasudev Sir for his support and encouragement 

 Bhagya Ajaykumar for inviting me to the performance and the whole Team of Art Park Bengaluru for Support.

Photography by Bharath Vijay and Sandhya  Lokesh 

Mapping Disappearing Thoughts/Dreams

Live Art Tour 9

Curated by Qing Cai

Date 9th March 2024

Venue- The Bengal Foundation 2nd floor

Time –15 minutes

Photography by Daisuke Takeya

With alchemy of Sun, Water and Air – This performance was about thoughts and dreams that appear and disappear. This performance was not loud, was subtle, sensitive, need a sensitive eye to engage and immerse. This performance talks about thousands of dreams of people of the land of Bangladesh that they dream of every day but eventually get lost in the fast struggle of life to live up to their dreams and thoughts in harsh sun, wind and water. Bangladesh is truly a unique place, with water bodies and fertile land that provides a rich and diverse environment for its people.

The songs of the people reflect their dreams and struggles and serve as a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of this remarkable nation. It resonates with us as an artist as we go through similar existential crises and struggles reflecting on our state of mind. This performance was an attempt to bring this particular state of mind. To Catch hold of the floating thoughts and dreams actualize them. 

"Performance actions were an attempt to bring my psychological state into action. It was a constant struggle to catch hold of thoughts that kept disappearing. Through my performance, I aimed to bring these processes of action and reaction together, to hold onto the thoughts and dreams that kept slipping away."

The performance is to reflect on this state of mind. I used minimal material water, ink filler and my skirt. Water represented my dreams and thoughts.

"I attempted to create a watermark on the floor, but eventually, it vanished due to exposure to the harsh sun and air. Despite this, I persisted in trying to make a mark. I repeatedly used my skirt to make marks resembling waves of thoughts until the once-fancy skirt became dirty and washed away the invisible layers of grey thoughts, making room for fresh ideas. As I continued my action, the audience members dispersed on hearing the announcement for the next performance. I concluded my performance by interacting with nature, watering plants, and symbolically marking a new beginning.

Dimple B Shah 14th March 2024 

Negotiating Weight of Now- Path of Reflection

Live Art Tour 9
Curated by Cai Qing

Faculty of Fine Arts Dhaka University

Date – 7th March 2024

Duration – 50 minutes

Photography by Mohammad Israt Abu Toimur  and Keya Sarkar Bindu 

This performance was in response to the history of land and people. The land of Bangladesh is stained, with the blood of innocent lives of both Hindus and Muslims, two hundred thousand women brutally raped and tortured in the bloody history. I was travelling through the land route, and although things had changed, there was a serene landscape in front of my eyes. My mind was still pondering on thoughts of violence and pain suffered by people. I was so uncomfortable for some time that I wanted to get out of these thoughts, but it occurred repeatedly. The long struggle at the border for immigration checks and the bad treatment of officers sparked again the question of human misery and pain. It was my first experience of crossing the borders by land route. Long wait times in queues for 5 hours going for immigration check in both countries, people breaking lines, and no discipline sparked questions about Human values. 

These experiences had an intense impact on my mind. Things have mostly stayed the same since independence, especially for poor people. Things had not changed much after 1971, carrying all this weight in my mind and heart. I decided to perform. I believe in nonviolence, and I thought of performing on healing and reflecting on the history of the land and the self. The colour white stands for purity and peace. I carry the weight of white cloth and baggage of perfumes on my head, wrapped in corseted cloth in my hand. I carry bowls of stones and rice.

I approached the platform while playing a tune with my mouth, breathing in the air, and lost in thought. I wore tangled white cotton waste on my head. I came near the site filled with dust and dirt and Started my performance with the Ritual of cleaning the space with a monastic broom and placing the white sheet on the floor.

 I stood there throwing my deep voice resonating to the landscape around me while in mind the image of people in pain and torture rolled. The cry was both prayer and also pain. From time to time, I was trying to clear the air by swinging a white monastic broom in the air now and then. This performance was about land and people. It was a ritual to erase, relive and cleanse the past. 

The second part was where I invited my audiences to do simple rituals of resonating with the universe by making designs with rice grains. I applied it on the audience's palm to give positive vibrations and showed them small mirror reflections of the land and them. The rituals to reflect, introspect and resonate with positive vibes in the audience are a process of catharsis. This performance subtly talked about the violent history of innocent people. One needs to observe and immerse in an act of peace. I did not want to answer for violence through violence but with gentle care and humble acts to reflect on ourselves.

Dimple B Shah 17th March 2024

Pomegranate Prayer

Collaboration with the Rieko Shimizu

Uratan Concalve 2023, Utkal University of Culture

Bhubaneshwar, Orissa 9th to 12th December 

curated by Umesh Nayak

This performance collaboration started with my spontaneous response to the pomegranate Fruit. During conversations with Reiko, she explained she will use 51 pomegranates to represent 51 Shakti peetha that represent (Sati). I love pomegranate fruit as each fragment of the fruit is complete by itself and represents feminine energy. I instantly said yes to work and collaborate with her. We had a brief conversation with Reiko and I brainstormed for one night how I could collaborate with Reiko and laid a plan for action and collaborations on how and where we perform and how we reach the water pond( as one of the elements for performance was to cleanse the stains and ourselves). I could connect to feminine energy, whatever name we like to call it (The famine energy we experience in physical, emotional and spiritual terms). I wanted to collaborate since it engages me with energy and red seed. I wanted to be involved and engage intimately in making physical and spiritual connections to the seeds and performing. Reiko's collaborator had her way of connecting intimately with pomegranates. The performance was intense, forgetting the harsh Sun was concentrating on the mala of pomegranates opening the mala that Reiko had made 12 knots, 51 pomegranates opening to an unknown self.

As I opened one by one opening to its essence, squeezed the juice and the elixir of fruit juice was dripping on my body and soul, soaked in its juice and 12 0 clock-sharp sunlight sweat, each drop of each piece of fruit narrating its intense spiritual connection. I felt lost and immersed in that moment stained white sari lay on the floor. The white saree represented a blank page of my life chapter, getting stains in the process of experiencing the moment the sari was washed in the dirty pond water. Finally, we wrap ourselves in a stained and washed sari and share that moment and a stained and washed Saree together. A journey was to an inner space of identity, a spiritual path, a taste elixir connecting to a collaborating partner for that moment became part of yours.

Dimple B Shah 19th December 2023

Concept note by Reiko Shimizu

柘榴の祈り ~Prayers of Pomegranates

The pomegranate as an emblem of Shakti - the omnipotent power that permeates all existence. Inspired by the scattered remnants of Mother Goddess, Sati, interwoven into a white saree, into 12 knots of pomegranates, uniting and releasing into 51 pomegranates. Two female figures delve into movement, contemplation, action, and interactions, unveiling the essence of Shakti. It penetrates our bodies and souls, every being in the earth and the sky, nurtures and binds all into an interconnected, indivisible whole. Stains on the saree, the marks of life, traces of time are washed away in the pond, an amniotic fluid, the forgotten One - the nurturing expanse of a Mother's womb.

Talking to the Cows

(Performing for the Animals)

Sumjin River International Experimental Art Festival (SIEAF)  Gokseong South Korea 2023

This performance was an overwhelming experience as we performed for the animals on the farm. I took time to know and understand the cows, went around the farm closely observing their behaviour, saw fear in their eyes and were moving away from the humans. As I was watching them, I was thinking about what I would perform for them. The farm animals are fed good food but have a short life to become food for human consumption. The Farm owners instructed us to keep our distance and not to go near pregnant cows. I was moving around, overwhelmed by sadness as they were going slaughtered in future for the food.

 A paradoxical situation curatorial theme was to calm and perform for these animals. At another, this animal was farmed as food for the population, contradicting the perspective of questions and answers. It was unsettling mentally and emotionally to calm and perform for them when we did not care for their life. Every living being has the right to Live in their life and live as they want. Human beings are the most selfish people on Earth. This unsettled mind stayed all through my performance.

 As a believer in Jain's philosophy of non-violence, this question of what would happen to them in future disturbed me and was the only thing on my mind while I performed for them. Headgear made from bamboo sticks and leaves. I tried to establish a connection by playing one smallmouth instrument and also collaborated with musician artists who were playing guitar. I also used my voice to communicate with cows. The rendition evoked a painful mood and emotions I felt for the cows to end the performance by feeding them dried grass. The most touching and turning part during the performance was when the cows started communicating with me by making sounds. Cows that were distancing from us came close. I felt a deep bond with them and asked forgiveness in my mind that I could not help them. This performance was quite emotional and heavy for me to settle down.

The second part of the performance continued in another space where we walked and saw many goats in the open field, responding to the overwhelming presence of many goats. I spontaneously performed and made connections to them for some time. Later, the performance started, and many artists performed near a group of Goats. These poor animals got confused and scared and moved from here to there. 

A few artists in the group scared and panicked them by running behind a herd of goats. The same question came to my mind. Why can't humans become sensitive to these speechless animals? We need to treat them with compassion and love them. How can we co-exist together? Many artist's friends will not agree, and many in general would not agree on the philosophy of non-violence. I was in a state of unsettled thoughts and performed 'Talking to the cows and goats on the farm. I was trying to make a spiritual connection and see them with love and compassion, slowly developing an intimate bond.

Dimple B Shah

18th September 2023