Guwahati April 23: There is no height of imagination for artists, all are artists in their own
right, however t
here are exceptional people who like to do things in an
exceptional way and share the idea with others and allowing interpretation at the
same time. The “AMPHIBIAN” a boat conceptualised by Artist, Cultural Researcher
and Creative Director,Indrani Baruah,of Guwahati, that sailed in the waters of
river Brahamaputra gave immense pleasure to the onlookers and inquisitiveness to
learn about the boat that cruised from Uzanbazar Ghat to Sualkuchi with 32 people
onboard. However the journey on Sunday,April 21st,for all must have been the
slowest journey ever taken in their life till date. The raft traveled along the
water flow was hardly one Kms per hour, and it too almost six hours to reach
Sualkuchi form the start.
The design of the boat is all about re-imagining culture by the
artist herself. The boat is based on the structure of “MELENG” (Bamboo rafts, that
are in used in River Brahamaputra ferrying tons of Bamboos for selling,tied
together forming a raft structure that moves on the river with the flow) The
”Amphibian” is also made using all bamboo and a finely designed bamboo
structure above, while using thermocol at the base to help the boat
float. The concept of totally using natural products is sending the message
of environmental safety, no use of fossil fuel related to it . For those the
people traditionally ferrying bamboos using a raft like structure has played a
great role to the contribution of environment safety that has inspired Indrani
Baruah. The designed raft took almost two months to get to the proper shape,
design, and a trial before making the final journey from Guwahati to Sualkuchi on
21st April. The entire Project is supported by India Foundation for the Arts
(IFA) Bangalore.
“I am an artist, I do not define myself in terms of gender” Says Indrani Baruah,
when asked about her comfort to work with men folks. This encouraging lines are
enough to boost the morale of women folk working in their own fields of
interests.
On board during the journey , were artists from various fields, including
Professor Uday Kumar, who designed the symbol of the Indian Rupee, besides
Aiyushman Dutta (journalist-critic-cultural activist), Alak Bharali (bamboo
craftsman),
Bhaskar Barua (architect-designer), Biplab Goswami (bamboo artisan), Dilip Tamuly
(teacher – installation artist – folklorist), Dhruba Jyoti Dutta (photo-
journalist), Indrani Baruah (visual artist-architect-cultural researcher),
Jyoti Prasad Das (North Guwahati resident and advisor),Kiran (new media and film),
Lueit Parasar Hazarika (architect and musician) Manoj Das (travel guide and bhot-
bhoti driver), Masfique Hazarika (environmental researcher-activist), Ranel Das
(architect-designer), Shilpika Bordoloi (movement artist), Sonal Jain (media
practitioners),Budi Thapa, (artist) and visiting fiction writer and art critic,
Moushumi Kandali.
While on journey various artists perforemd music, dance, besides discussions
on the environment and preserving River Brahamaputra, and exchanging personal
views about the changing environemtel scenario. Ask Budi Thapa, about the unique
journey, “ The journey is wonderful, Peace, harmony should always be the message
of the artists.”says the veteran artist from Kohima.
Cultural Re-imaginations is a series of interventions conceived as an ongoing
experiment in challenging the traditional boundaries between art and architecture,
artist and artisan, crafts and arts and towards developing a new, critically
engaged hybrid practice that integrates cultural history, architectural traditions
and current environmental concerns of the northeast India and beyond, along with
creating provocative art that leads to unanticipated interdisciplinary
convergence.The imminent shortages of land, water and energy continue to increase
the pressure to find innovative solutions, especially in communities that live in
close proximity to the natural environment. Employing a raft structure and a
series of ‘unscripted’ performative journeys on one of Asia’s major rivers – The
Brahmaputra.
Cultural Re-imaginations II will explore creative approaches with which
communities can coexist with natural environments. During Cultural Re-imaginations
II, a floating-habitable raft (Amphibian) has been developed based on the
sustainable principles of the itinerant vernacular bamboo rafts (melengs) used in
this region on the river Brahmaputra. This is a latent, but extraordinary mode of
transporting bamboo all year round by indigenous communities on the river
Brahmaputra by using only the power of the river. The new experimental raft has
been conceptualized as a potential ‘sustainable habitat’ that can be anchored like
a boat or a ferry. The construction of the raft structure involved collaborative
work between bamboo artisans, boat-builders, raft workers and artists.This
cultural intervention is intentionally ephemeral and is intended to evoke
universal, temporary, mobile, vernacular habitats with minimal environmental
impacts as well as cultural forms inherent to this region.(SP News)
