Christine Cholewa
Residency at University College for the Creative Arts (UCCA)
my thoughts on India one week on
Posted by Christine Cholewa on 8th April 2007
Well what do I say about India? I was in Delhi India for a week long conference called cHAT week. It was the meeting up of everyone involved in the HAT Residencies. There were artists and hosts, critical writers and evaluators, from UK, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We stayed at a place called sanskriti. (www.sanskritifoundation.org) This is a very quiet and peaceful place about 30 minutes from Delhi. It was a stark contrast to the city life, but a nice place to get to know the people involved in HAT.
During the week we all got to know each other and talk of our experiences - the good and challenging bits and make connections. During the week we also had more structured discussions about art, craft and our livelihoods made by these. We discussed the state of the traditional Indian crafts and the reasons why we make things. We visited a ceramic village and met with local crafts people and academics to hear about how things are done in India and how they are improving things and keeping the traditions alive.
India itself is quite amazing. It is full of contradictions. I saw the poorest people I have ever seen and the dirtiest conditions for living, but in the same street beautiful temples, and ornately decorated everday objects. It was an eye opener to see the cultures and religions all existing together. I can hardly even find the words to describe the smells, sounds and tastes that I experienced. Somehow I was lucky enough to not become ill with a stomach bug and enjoyed some of the food from the street vendors. Such variety!
You get the sense in India that anything is possible. I saw a family of 4 traveling on one motorcycle, mom dad child and baby, I saw large deliveries made on one small bicycle, children as young as four crossing a busy street easily and safely, (better than us tourists). The chaotic driving seems like the most terrifying thing ever, until you realise it has its own rules and that somehow you can make sense of the non-existing order. I didn’t see one accident or any road kill the entire week. The creative way things are repaired and reused was inspiring, and the fact that lots of city buses and cars and auto rickshaws are using clean fuels was also good to see. For a city that has so many people garbage and waste is everywhere, but with the use of unfired terracotta drinking cups rather than paper and bowls made from local dried leaves rather than plastic some of the rubbish will just decompose back to the earth. I think there are lots of these things we can learn to use in our western life.
I met lots of great people and learned a lot about India lifestyles, traditions and religions. I saw Old Delhi, the colourful markets, the silver markets, the crafts markets, the new underground metro, the rich people houses and the poor peoples tents under the freeway. This trip has peaked my interest in this area of the worlds, and I would like to make my way back to India for a longer visit and journey across the top to see Pakistan India and Bangladesh. Talking with all the artists and seeing everyone’s images really made you want to get more out of it. Experience the differences. I think the travel bug has bitten me! There were the bad things too, the people living on the streets, pick pockets, dirt and grime everywhere, unclean water, dirty toilets, but overall, my experience was positive. I came back with lots of photos, good memories and some new friends. I look forwards to planning a trip back and seeing more of the country.
Click on image to open QuickTime movie
"ARTIST'S TALK"
Christine Cholewa talks to conference during cHAT week at Sanskriti, Delhi, India. March 2007
