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