Introduction: The Anti-Caste Art Project
Written by Rimjhim| Mumbai| September 26, 2020
Growing up in Patwatoli, a tiny hamlet of Manpur in Bihar’s Gaya district, I would watch the members of my family spend hours every day at the loom. As members of Patwa, a traditional weaving community from Bihar, my father, uncles, neighbours and almost everyone I knew was engaged in the trade. They would weave colourful cotton threads into gamchaas (towels), bedsheets and other items of household needs. A labour-intensive work, each item — from dying of the thread to drying and then weaving with the loom — took no less than two to three days. But as a community that is categorised under backward castes, they received neither the remuneration nor the acknowledgement that is due to them.
As a result, many from the community — including my father — ditched the loom for other menial jobs. Our family rears cattle while others I know have set up local grocery stores and similar businesses. This heartbreaking transformation led me also to the realisation that there must be several other artists and craftspeople from various backward communities who remain unrepresented, their talents unrewarded due to lack of information in public domain. In the past decade or so, even as handlooms and handicrafts gain popularity among the affluent through popular brands and retail forums, the real faces behind this work remain unrecognised.
Over the past two years, hence, I have been trying to work towards engaging with artists from such communities across fields and domains in the hope of understanding their works and also learning how this can help me work with my own community to highlight their history, efforts and works.
The Anti-Caste Art project, which I have undertaken as part of One Future Fellowship, is an attempt in that direction. For this project, I have engaged with a multitude of artists, many of who work within the field of visual arts. Several of these have already established their credentials. However, they rarely enjoy the kind of limelight or space that members of upper caste communities do. No art is apolitical. By featuring these artists, I hope to understand the space one can create for one’s work while also highlighting their works. Some of their artworks are new and also up for sale.
Going forward, I would like to expand on this project wherein the future editions will feature lesser-known or unknown artists from across arts and crafts. And your critical engagement as an audience is thus crucial in making this project a success.
Before I conclude, I would like to thank Dalit Camera for partnering on this project and providing the artists with a safe space for their representation and work.
I hope you enjoy their works as much as we did working on this project.
Dalit Camera: Through Un-Touchable Eyes
captures narratives, public meetings, songs, talks, discussion on dalits.
It is largely run by students and their expenses are mostly met by themselves. At present our people work in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Calcutta.
I applaud your move all the best for your future venture.
Really thankful, so nice,if young minds like you all step forward like this, no one would dare to deprive our community from their rights. God bless you. 👍👍
Good👍
All the best.. but you should change the word”dalit”. In my opinion if we want to be an anticaste , then we must eradicate the term ‘dalit’ from our society. No one is superior neither suppressor , we all are equal.
Good .. keep on going 👍
All the best.. but you should change the word”dalit”. In my opinion if we want to be an anticaste , then we must eradicate the term ‘dalit’ from our society. No one is superior neither suppressor , we all are equal.
Best wishes for such valuable project and casteism shall washouts from India, The equality will brings uplifting human values.
All the best guys
In order to erradicate the cast system & make society castless,this kind of endevours are requaired..
Thank you for this initiative & many wishes…
Wish u all the success. It definitely creates space for our talents to show case.
More power to you , best wishes !!
#solidarity
Good initiative child.All my good wishes .Happy to notice the Young going to their roots.Heritage is one’s identity and one has to be proud of his/her legacy. Appreciate your vision. Friends you should be telling and highlighting your story. A dailit story should not always be a story of suffering or sickness, It can be of grandeur too and if told by one who has experienced it ,it would be perfect. Yes you deserve all the appreciation kid…and not only dailit talents explore all the possible tales.All the best.
I am from so called dalit family…from Odisha…..
But ,My Father Funded
Library,,HandPumps,, Highschool…..And so respected… wear janeu……as He is Devotee of Gayatri Mata…..
My mom knows Sanskrit……..and also a teacher……..
Being Born Dalit …… doesn’t matter…..
Your Knowledge ,and Attitude…..makes you Dwija…Or Kshytriya…Or Vaishya ……
People will Always Comments. on your Caste quota….. despite your talent…
But at least that should not be an excuse
First of all why you think you are dalit. Let other think. You personally shouldn’t think you r dalit. Remove from your mind that you r dalit. Your camera also becomes dalit. Plz remove nthis taq of dalit. Politicians want us to become dalit for votebank. Can’t they treat as normal human. Baba saheb told treat everyone like humans.
Completely in agreement. If you yourselves perceive as dalit then you are mocking your own talent, skill and personality. Everyone is godgifted.
I am so proud of u sister,keep rocking
We have to give voice for voiceless people, ‘if any one keep silence against injustice…They all so part of injustice which happened against dalits’
It’s a good initiative sister..All the best
A great initiative. A great fight for rights.
Such nicely put. Keep going.
Guys, you are doing a wonderful work , because even now suppressed caste is not getting equality in society . Thanks for doing this wonderful project & I would also wants to thanks Dalit Camera for giving platform for this wonderful project.
Good initiative for the untouchables who remained in the voiceless and suppressed for centuries, they are native talents of India, others want education in IIM AND IIT and find job outside and settle down, never a single dalits dream of living this country, we are future of this country, we have to fight and get recognition we deserve so the next generation will not be ruled by outside people. You need all the support.
I am so proud of u sister,keep rocking
We have to give voice for voiceless people, ‘if any one keep silence against injustice…They all so part of injustice which happened against dalits’
It’s a good initiative sister..All the best
Happy to be brother of an inspirational sister .
Good Luck for your project and further action.
I personally thank Dalit camera for providing help hand in this incentives.
Guys, you are doing a wonderful work , because even now suppressed caste is not getting equality in society . Thanks for doing this wonderful project & I would also wants to thanks Dalit Camera for giving platform for this wonderful project.