In early 2016, artists across the state went up in arms against the government’s decision to privatise Venkatappa Art Gallery, which, to them, has always been a hallmark of democracy. After the initial eruptions of anger, they put their heads together to plan out an extensive, relentless campaign to bring VAG back whom it rightly belongs - the artists themselves. As far as they were concerned, compromise was not an option - they refused to settle for anything less than the cancellation of the MoU. Campaigns like Hug VAG and the Black Umbrella protest saw hundreds of artists - and supporters from the public - come together to save their commons. Less than two months later, the government seems to have no choice but to shelve the MoU, which would have handed the gallery over to the Tasveer Foundation, run by a private collector. Renowned artist and founder at No. 1 Shanthi Road, Suresh Jayaram, tells Darshana Ramdev about how the fracas has brought artists - and the people - together.
In March this year, hundreds of artists from across Karnataka formed a human chain around Venkatappa Art Gallery, in a protest they called 'Hug VAG'. Later that month, they gathered at the steps of Town Hall, holding black umbrellas (an ingenious addition, both as a form of protest and considering we were in the midst of a heatwave then) and blowing whistles as they shouted slogans. This was the result of artists putting their heads together to protest the privatisation of the state-run gallery on Kasturba Road, which had been signed over for revamping, in an MoU, to a private collector.
Now, there are whispers that the deal is all but dead and even if the artists are still awaiting an official confirmation from the government, victory is almost certainly theirs. Several good things have come of this, said artist Suresh Jayaram, who has been at the forefront of the movement ever since it began. "It brought us all together and helped us understand how strong we are when we work collectively," he said.
It meant relentless campaigning and non-stop planning - "We would meet, eat together, talk together. We had potlucks and cooked food in our own homes to bring to the meetings. And of course, wonderful conversations came out of all this," said Jayaram. "Artists also stopped looking at each other as junior or senior, they put their differences aside and came together for a cause they all believed in." They received a great deal of support from people outside the art community as well, another big step for artists in the state. "We had our share of criticism as well," he added.
Victory might be at their doorstep, but Jayaram says the journey has only just begun. "This a long-term plan for us," he remarked. "We're not simply planning for the next year. The first step is to create a trust to run the gallery." The government, he allowed, "has other things on its plate. We need to start with the fact that VAG is still under the ASI and needs to be brought to the Kannada and Culture Department."
Exhibitions - a three-day Art Marathon took place in the first week of May, dedicated to curators, artist and performers. "Art appreciation courses, interesting curatorial projects, seminars and conferences are the kinds of interventions we're hoping to facilitate," Jayaram said. The idea is also to connect with the public and make VAG accessible to everybody, artists and non-artists alike.
Jayaram doesn’t take their accomplishments for granted, however, saying, “We’re still waiting for an official communication from the government. I’m sure they have other priorities, of course.”
Their achievements have been overwhelming. "The kind of energy and involvement we saw from different artists... and the coming together of people from different art colleges across the state has been wonderful," he said. "We never wanted regular protests either — burning effigies or painting banners. It had to be creative, that reflected us as a community. We had to do things that would be talked about, every single time."
