Political turmoil in India is no secret, vis a vis the suppression of the press. Sumona Chakravarty a Kolkata based artist has shed light towards a series of an awakening. A rude awakening, that implores the masses to channel their undivided attention towards her photo series. It implores that we’d live vicariously through a lockdown, a curfew. She hopes to intercede on behalf of those who’ve suffered from similar circumstances. Through her #30DaysofCurfew series, she yearns to evoke emotion, fostering empathy and sensitivity.
What made you take a stance towards this project?
The project is called #30daysofCurfew and it uses the format of a ‘30 day challenge’ to create a narrative about what would happen if there was a curfew in Kolkata. I had been struggling to imagine what it would be like to be unable to communicate or travel for many weeks and live through a curfew. I realised it is hard to get a complete picture when there is an information blackout, and that many other like me would be finding it hard to relate to a life under curfew. That’s when I decided to do a series that tried, and maybe even failed, to imagine this experience at a personal level, dislocating it to a familiar, albeit more privileged, context to make it relatable. I thought that posting a fragment daily would capture in real time, how painfully long 20 days, or a month of curfew could be. I was also tired of all the divisive conversations on social media with people taking sides based on their political allegiances, and wanted to have a conversation based on empathy and an understanding of the human experience.
What are some of your biggest inspirations over the years of your artistic career and why?
Artists like Suzanne Lacy, USA, whose art is participatory and builds solidarities, Torolab, Mexico, who work in communities and graphic artists like Orijit Sen who always have a responsive and urgent way to express their politics through arts.
Describe your creative process and the purpose with which you create
I map all possibilities to expand my imagination, then iterate till I find the crux of the project, then create and have lots of conversations to develop it further.
Are there any Indian contemporaries of yours whose work you admire?
@pi_alize, @aravaniartproject, @kadakcollective, @institutingotherwise @atarpi.raw
What is the first piece of art/photograph/film/music that impacted you deeply?
Buffalo Springfield’s- Stop Children Whats that Sound
If you could propose and lead a project with the Indian Government, what would it be?
I would like to have an artist in residence at every police station and municipal office so that the the artists could create spaces for dialogue, transform these spaces into community spaces and create a bridge between the government and people through their work.
Which is your favourite piece of work of your own & why?
‘Jorabagan Encounters’ was a site-specific game I created with the Kolkata Police at a police station. The game shared the daily experiences through of the police different obstacles, and created a dialogue between police and audiences, who played each other. I like this project because I believe art can play an important role in mediating boundaries, and this project was an attempt to do so.
One track you’re currently listening to?
Hozier - Movement
A project you wish you were a part of?
Suzanne Lacy’s ‘Between the Door and the Street’ in New York City
Your favourite midnight munchies?
Dark Chocolate Cookies
Your greatest vice?
Dark Chocolate Cookies / Falling into a Youtube Binge Watching Blackhole
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