This collaborative event is being organized jointly by INTACH and KNMA and will be held on 25th and 26th October 2024 at KNMA Saket, New Delhi. This symposium aims to gather a diverse array of practitioners, scholars, and experts from various art forms to delve into the intricate dynamics of the Guru Shishya Parampara, an age-old tradition of transfer of knowledge in the Arts.
Stemming from and as a continuation of a recently concluded Research Project by Ms. Gunjan Joshi (Independent Consultant and Co-Curator) for the Intangible Cultural Heritage Division of INTACH on the Guru Shishya Parampara in Folk Arts, INTACH has partnered with KNMA, represented by Ms. Neha Tickoo, as co-curator of the symposium, to broaden the perspective to a larger purview of Arts embracing the wide spectrum of artistic disciplines like Classical and Folk Performing Arts along with Modern Visual Arts.
The symposium will be a two day of critical thinking and discussions around this Theme.
On Day 1, the symposium opens with the ‘BAITHAK’ facilitated by Ms. Gunjan Joshi (Independent Consultant for INTACH and UNESCO ICH Facilitator) that consists of a structured open discussion of renowned Gurus in the field of performing arts as well as cultural institution representatives sharing a meaningful and interactive dialogue on the Guru Shishya Parampara in the Performing Arts.
After with the brief insights into the tradition and its contemporary relevance, taken from our diversely representative and reputed set of panelists, a moderated discussion headed by Ms. Nerupama Y. Modwel, Principal Director, ICH Division, INTACH, along with Ms. Joshi, will explore thematic questions addressing topics such as pedagogical shifts, retention and/or transformations, challenges and a way forward in arts education. The discussion will focus on the future of this tradition, compare the Gurukul system with modern universities, and address the challenges facing the oral tradition today. We aim to also examine the perceived social evils and harsh realities associated with these age-old practices and consider ways to address them in the modern context.
Taking cue from the Baithak session, on 26th October, the panels by KNMA moderated by Ms. Neha Tickoo, mostly expands some of the pertinent keywords like institutions, body, caste, class, entitlements, cultural capital and identity among systems of art pedagogy in classical Music, Dance forms and a spectrum of Visual arts, as one moves towards the concluding sessions.
Session 1: The Disciple- film by Chaitanya Tamhane
The Disciple directed by Chaitanya Tamhane is to be screened on 26 October morning at the Museum, after which the filmmaker will be present to talk about the aesthetics and politics of his film in the form of the panel.
The Disciple is a 2020 Indian Marathi-language drama film written, directed and edited by Chaitanya Tamhane.The plot of the film revolves around Sharad Nerulkar who has devoted his life to becoming an Indian classical music vocalist, diligently following the traditions and discipline of old masters, his guru, and his father. But as years go by, Sharad starts to wonder whether it’s really possible to achieve the excellence he’s striving for.
Session 2: Perform… or Else’: Addressing the Rigour
Addressing the Rigour we carefully look at the field of classical Music and classical Dance and its pedagogical trends through the prism of criticality. To begin with Tamhane’s film with the filmmaker present, one shall be unfolding the film’s core premise along with critical insights from Prof. Brahm Prakash which double-click on the aspects of socio-cultural hierarchies and expectations, gender and sexuality politics which remain inevitable in contextualizing the traditions of knowledge dissemination in both classical and folk arts.
Siddhi Goel’s input as a practitioner and researcher of Kathak dance will investigate training of the dance-form and its manifestations and consumption in the popular sphere. Vidya Rao’s presence lends the panel an insight into her own experience as a Shishya and Guru of Hindustani classical music, and of the connotation associated with Guru as a spiritual guide, but also of an open dialogue where knowledge is shared and in a constant flux and transformation.
Session 3:‘Studio as School: Tracing the Visual Art Pedagogy and it’s Continuity’
Moving further towards the third session, ‘Studio as School: Tracing the Visual Art Pedagogy and its Continuity’ the panel arbitrates the ways of learning and ‘training’ that have been recorded via schools of miniature paintings of India through inputs from art historian Preeti Bahadur; along with first person testimony of Kalighat – Patt artist Kalam Patua from West Bengal; and finally we move towards the gentler nuances of student-mentor relationship as cherished lived experiences in the context of modern and contemporary visual arts, with inputs from Ms. Roobina Karode, art educator, writer and curator.
You can find more details and book your tickets here –
https://insider.in/learning-and-dissemination-of-knowledge-in-arts-symposium-oct25-2024/e
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