BENGALURU: Over 500 people gathered on the steps of Town Hall on Sunday afternoon in an extraordinary show of support for the Venkatappa Art Gallery Forum, which is protesting against the privatisation of the space.
The participants, who included artists, theatre people, writers, architects and activists, were asked to bring black umbrellas and given whistles – both marks of protest.
Artist Suresh Jayaram, who has been one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the VAG Forum’s cause, said, “Art is done in private, but the public make it what it is. VAG is part of our public culture and commons; it cannot be given away to a private party. Artists outside Karnataka are very angry with this move as well.”
‘Won’t let VAG go private’
“The MoU is like a noose around the artist’s neck imposed by the government," said writer Nadoja Kamala Hampana, who was among a number of people who spoke out in support of the Venkatappa Art Gallery Forum at Town Hall on Sunday afternoon.
Sweltering heat notwithstanding, the air was rent with the sound of whistles as nearly 500 people gathered on the steps of Town Hall to protest the privatisation of Venkatappa Art Gallery.
Participants had been asked to bring black umbrellas and bottles of water, while volunteers handed out candy all to make the heat tolerable. Still, the weather did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the protestors.
Representatives from different creative communities, including literary figures, artists, activists and architects, came together to show their commitment for the cause.
“This is not a battle being fought against an individual," said prominent artist and sculptor Sheela Gowda, who is at the forefront of the VAG Forum. "Our point of contention remains with the Tourism Department and the decisions that it is making."
Venkatappa Art Gallery has held a special place in the hearts of artists ever since it was formed in 1970. On February 8 that year, a group of artists led by G.S. Shenoy held an art exhibition on the sidewalks of M.G. Road to draw the government's attention to the need for a public space for artists. That's how the gallery came to be on Kasturba Road. Ever since, the space has symbolised a great victory of democracy as far as artists are concerned.
The idea of an MoU with a private third party has not gone down well with artists. According to Ms Gowda, “There are certain problems, yes, in the way that VAG is run. It's a contemporary space but it has no curation. We want to make it meaningful and have it address our needs. Still, this is something we need to think about. We have to study the existing setup and make the place more user-friendly,” she said. "Even so, privatisation is not the answer."
The artists, she explained, want the gallery to remain within the purview of the state government. “There are many establishments that are run on several models. One can be developed for Venkatappa too, which works for artists and keeps the gallery in the hands of the government."
Theatre artist Kirtana Kumar, who is a regular at the VAG Forum events, said, "I'm a third generation Bengalurean and it is part of our heritage. People come here regularly to use the space already. As artists, we need to stand together and the theatre community is in full support of this movement." Architect Meeta Jain, who designed 1.
Shanthi Road, said, “We are fighting not only for Venkatappa, but also for public space. It is high time that we as architects refuse projects whose ownership is of a dubious nature.”
On Saturday morning, around 100 artists came together on the lawns of Venkatappa Art Gallery to sketch or paint their visions of the place. The VAG wrapped up their protest with a flourish, so to speak, by handing out these sketches and paintings to everybody present on Sunday afternoon.
Govt’s step-motherly treatment
“The government has a step-motherly attitude toward artists. At the bureaucratic level, how many people really understand art, or have been to an exhibition?” said senior sculptor Balan Nambiar, who was present at the protest on Sunday afternoon.
“In the first letter I wrote expressing my views on the issue, I said that VAG should not go to private hands. It should be governed and managed by the artists.”
Agreeing that all is not perfect at the gallery, he said, “We need a vision and a good administration to take charge of things. The infrastructure at the gallery is not adequate, but with little effort, we can transform it into a hub of creativity.”
Chuckling as he likened his vision for the gallery with Koshy's, the restaurant on St. Mark’s Road, and the Press Club in Cubbon Park, he said, “That’s how I see people coming together there. It should be a space for artists, theatre people, writers and even journalists to use as they want. None of this is unattainable!”
