To bring alive the works of an artist-sculptor-painter-performer and tell the story of his life and times, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and Vivadi Theatre Group have adopted a type of theatre called promenade or immersive theatre to create a unique art-meets-theatre exhibition.
The show “409 Ramkinkars” is about one of the pioneers of modern Indian sculpture, Ramkinkar Baij, who when asked whether he preferred sculpture or painting replied saying that he rode both horses but that he rode a third horse — theatre and song — with equal passion.
The lawns, exhibition gallery and Mati Ghar areas of the IGNCA have been transformed into a performance space for the audience, a maximum of 150, to walk around on a two-hour journey through various installations, theatre-performances and songs.
During his time, Ramkinkar had suggested that before taking a seat the audience should be asked to walk on the stage and look at his sets. Similarly, the audience in this performance is asked to enter the exhibition, as if entering an art exhibition to see a recreation of the artist's studio.
Moving through 12 performance-based tableaux based on the artist’s works that take place simultaneously, the audience familiarises and immerses itself with the concept and works of the artist, before moving on to explore more about the life and times, both political and social, that the artist lived in.
In one scene, a host of characters from Ramkinkar’s plays — political leaders and actors depicting social and political events — circle an actor playing Ramkinkar as he works in his studio.
The presentation has brought together former National School of Drama director Anuradha Kapur, artist Vivan Sundaram, Santanu Bose, Rimli Bhattacharya and Aditee Biswas, who created the performance over two years.
This two-hour installation-art-theatre will be performed every evening at 6.30 p.m. till April 2.
