Comments on: Are There Emotional No-go Areas for Artists?

By: sanjay austa

sanjay austa — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 04:03:13 +0000

In reply to Subina Arora Khaneja. Thanks for sharing your views Subina. Although in this case the photographer was just trying to build his folio.It was not a product shoot as it was made out to be.

By: Subina Arora Khaneja

Subina Arora Khaneja — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:25:00 +0000

I think the article itself gives answers to why this depiction raised such strong objections.
Time, distance and sensitivity – The too short a time from the incident means that the public doesn’t have the distance from it. It’s too close to the tragedy and sensitivities are still high. As the writer himself recognises that some time passed before stories about the Partition and Holocaust could be told and watched.
Also, aesthetically, is it good verse or bad verse. As photography goes, did the picture invoke the emotion it was trying to convey well enough? Therein also lies the confusion… that is what emotion?
And mostly, that is the one big reason of the unease it is creating is because it is using a tragic aspect of a world reality, harassment of women, to essentially sell clothes and jewellery!
Let’s not confuse the intent here. It is not using the medium to create awareness, or some jagriti in society, or some self-growth in the viewer. It wants you to feel the need to change this horrific attitude, then admire the models, clothes and jewellery, and then go shopping!
All the others were using the medium for a message and story telling. Bandit Queen wasn’t selling her clothes sense, lifestyle nor were the paintings being used to tell you where to buy those beautiful white horses. They used their art and craft to portray a truth which moved them and which they felt needed to be told.
IN this case, there is a serious clash of intent and lack of understanding of role of the medium I feel.

By: sanjay austa

sanjay austa — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 12:06:21 +0000

In reply to Bharati Motwani. Again Chetan Bhagat?

By: Parul Abrol

Parul Abrol — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 12:04:51 +0000

Actually, I wasn’t saying this at all. Commercial or purely artistic (I dont understand the latter bcoz there is some commercial aspect to all we create), one must understand what the person is doing. I wont be surprised if this photographer had no idea of what he was creating.
It is a classic case of ‘bandar ke hath mein koochi’.
I am not the one to call for bans, primarily because offense is a relative emotion. I found his work dumb and stupid and I (individually) dont want to engage with it .

By: sanjay austa

sanjay austa — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 12:03:51 +0000

In reply to Parul Abrol.

Sanjay Austa Parul you may want to look at this piece by Rupa Subramanya . She discusses these photos vis-a-vis art etc. http://rupasubramanya.blogspot.in/…/why-indias-likely…
Why India’s Likely Doomed to Become a Museum Culture | Free to Choose
rupasubramanya.blogspot.com

By: Parul Abrol

Parul Abrol — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 12:02:07 +0000

In reply to sanjay austa.

haha! Just like the measure for power is horsepower, the measure for low is Bhagat

I think the technical word to use for Bhagat is author – someone who’s been published – that should do

By: sanjay austa

sanjay austa — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:59:24 +0000

In reply to Parul Abrol. Parul I dont understand much about art but I will take your point about it. . I was just pointing out the depiction of rape in art not comparing. Ya I agree Chetan Bhagat is not a writer. But he is certainly a novelist. Damn, why can't one have a discussion about anything without mentioning Bhagat?

By: sanjay austa

sanjay austa — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:58:42 +0000

In reply to Uday Sahay. Uday you are an ex-cop, you would know that even liking a Facebook post these days can land one in prison. So i am not surprised if you say this is an infringement of law.

By: sanjay austa

sanjay austa — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:58:04 +0000

In reply to Nimeran Singh. Nimeran I tend to agree with both your points. But things that are mediocre or not well done also have a right to exist. Where will people like Chetan Bhagat go then?

By: Peter Armand Menon

Peter Armand Menon — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 11:41:54 +0000

I do not think it is a question of “Emotional No-Go”. An Artist always performs for some community. The sensibilities of the Community cannot be given a lesser place than that Artist’s Emotions. Of course, the Artist can ignore Community Sensibilities, in which case the Artist has to face the Community’s reaction and should not be allowed to cry “Unfair”. Fairness is a two way street.