Interview: Suruchi Pawar CO-CURATOR OF A NEW CONVERSATION Talks About Performing Arts And working with Zakir Hussain

Pic caption: Artist Daniel Allison a Scottish writer, storyteller, musician and workshop leader based in Midlothian was part of the event.

An artist residency for Indian and Scottish musicians was recently held at G5A in Mumbai. Titled, A New Conversation, the aim of the event was to build artistic dialogues and relationships between young storytellers and musicians from India and UK. A co-curation between the G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture in Mumbai and Scottish Storytelling Centre (SSC) in Edinburgh, two artists each from India and Scotland collaborated together for a new performance. On March 24-25 performances by Daniel Allison, (a Scottish writer, storyteller, musician and workshop leader based in Midlothian), Eilidh Firth ( a Glasgow-based fiddle player specialising in Scottish traditional music) and Indian artists Mohammad Muneem Nazir (co-founder of the live act Alif) and Sheena Khalid (a theatre director, writer and actor took place.

One of the curators of the event, Suruchi Pawar talks to us about the event, the status of performing arts in India and working with legends such as Ustaad Zakir Hussain

Tell us about your research on performing arts in India and how you perceive it?

?With my role at G5A I focus on theatre, music and now we have recently started programming dance. My research on performing arts in India is more driven by the curatorial framework at G5A, where the focus is on contemporary, experimental, new work, focus on artistic practice and process, and also giving a platform to independent and alternative voices.

But personally, my research is at a very nascent stage and is more about informing myself and learning. I would like to further explore and study arts sustainability and accessibility.

Tell us more about your work with the first edition arts Soho theatre for programming at G5A and what was the most important takeaways from your experience there?

? I have worked with First Edition Arts or Soho Theatre for programming at G5A. with FEA, G5A's relationship is a longstanding one, and with whom we are mission-aligned. What they are doing to keep the Indian classical? music relevant, and supporting a lot of new and highly skilled contemporary musicians is commendable.

As for Soho Theatre, we programmed a 5-day long run of their show 'Half Breed' written and performed by the very talented Natasha Marshall. We would like to bring more such contemporary, socially relevant work from across the world to Bombay. Also, it was Natasha's use of the Black Box and her rigorous process that made the performance even more special for us. In Soho Theatre, we found resonance in our ethos in supporting new and young artists and work, and hope to collaborate on more projects with them.

You have also worked with legends such as Ustaad Zakir Hussain, Tajdar Junaid etc. any memorable moments you would share

?Zakirji has performed with Niladri Kumar at G5A for our In Session Series and that was the first time I was attending such an intimate live performance by him. The same concert was then made in to a short film [The Space Between The Notes] by Sumantro Ghosal that premiered at the G5A Black Box. Be it witnessing his LIVE performance or hearing him talk, you realize he is not only an exceptional musician but also a great conversationalist, who is as nuanced in his tabla as he is with his words. Even when he speaks about his music he leaves the listener with so many insights on many subjects beyond music. What was memorable was his conversation with Niladri and Sumantro after the film screening, where he decided to play the moderator and guided the conversation with such precision, giving such deep insights in to his own process, the filmmaker's process, and so much more. It was wonderful working with Tajdar, his soundscape is unique and deeply moving. ?

Tell us more about Where I Stand?

?Where I Stand is a contemporary performance with music, poetry, and stories, bringing together astounding realms of Norse myths, turn of the century Dundee and Bombay and the vibrant hues of Kashmir through a conversation of past and present, of land and place, of the mythical and the everyday... a reflection of that which we call home. One of the objectives of the residency was to mentor young curators as well, and as the piece "where i stand" developed for artists, it has been a great learning experience for me as well and will stay with me for a while.

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