Almost every surface and space at VR Bengaluru seems to be awash with creativity. With installations on the floors and suspended over the atrium, as well as art on the walls, there is no mistaking the Whitefield Art Collective is back in the city.
Now in its seventh edition, the Whitefield Art Collective is part of the Public Arts Festivals started more than a decade ago by the not-for-profit Yuj Arts Foundation. According to Sumi Gupta, curator of the Public Arts Festivals, the focus of this event is student and emerging art.
Since 2013 the Public Art Festivals in collaboration with Virtuous Retail South Asia have hosted 22 art festivals across India, such as the Dumas Art Project in Surat, the Punjab Art Initiative in Punjab and Amritsar, the Madras Art Guild in Chennai, and the Nagpur Kala Sangh in Nagpur.
“We collaborate with institutions because we feel students need a platform to showcase their work and it is rather difficult for them to engage with galleries or the larger art festivals as they are more exclusive,” says Sumi.
She adds that students from Chitrakala Parishad, The Bangalore Institute of Design and Bangalore University are a part of the festival this year which is themed, Transcending Boudaries.
“We encourage students to make installations or artworks based on a theme around which conversations can be had and shine a spotlight on issues that need to be addressed,” she says, adding that she thought the theme was apt since the concept of globally connections was a part of reality today.
With over 100 works of art on display, to say nothing of the workshops, sessions and stalls on the premises, every edition of the festival takes at least six months to execute.
“Over the years we have added different layers to the festival, incorporating classical dance and music, cinema and photography. Next year, we hope to bring in theatre and folk art into the mix,” says Sumi.
In order to give students exposure to the world of art, retrospectives on artists Achuthan Kadallur, P Gopinath and Yusuf Arakkal are also a part of this edition.
“We collaborated with PVR to screen a few art movies, and there is a fun workshop on the art of brewing coffee. Apart from this, the month-long festival will have an artisanal bazaar with embroidery, pottery and ceramic works among others as well as a young artist program. We have multi-generational families and corporate workers visiting, so there is definitely something for everyone.”
“Whether one is a photographer, sculptor or painter, it is important to showcase their works so people would be able to see them. The more viewers they have and the more reactions they get, the more fulfilling it is for them. Imagine a student seeing people taking selfies with their work — it would be such as inspiration for them.”
The Whitefield Art Collective has started a mentorship program to help students, “move along the spectrum of their own self development,” says Sumi. Members of the panel include president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation Bose Krishnamachari, director of the India Art Fair Jaya Asokan and renown photographer Amit Pasricha, as well as British mixed media artist Piers Bourke.
The festival also focusses on crafting amazing things using completely natural, sustainable and renewable materials. So if you have a couple of hours at your disposal and want to be wowed by art, beauty and creativity, make a beeline for the Whitefield Art Collective.
The Whitefield Art Collective will go on till May 5, 2024 at VR Bengaluru. Entry free. For updates on sessions and workshops follow whitefieldartcollective on Instagram