Emergent Art Space visits the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore, India

November 6-8, 2014

Last week Emergent Art Space traveled to Bangalore, India to visit the Srishti School of Art, Design, and Technology. Arzu Mistri, art teacher at the Srishti School, who acted as one of the jurors for the upcoming EAS exhibition Translations, served as our generous host and guide. With her help, in just two days we were able to meet with a number of teachers, students, and administrators. They were happy to give us an introduction to the educational approach of their school, as well as to hear about Emergent Art Space’s current projects and long-term goals.

The Srishti School of Art, Design, and Technology is both an undergraduate and graduate institution that defines itself as “a ‘community of learners’ comprising industry-experienced faculty and energetic students who continually explore and experiment with art and design pedagogies, aesthetics, values and innovative practices” [See Srishti About page]. The school’s interdisciplinary approach provides students with a great deal of creative freedom while also encouraging them to engage in the community and grapple with real-world issues.

During our visit we attended the presentations of two collaborative projects by Srishti students and teachers: the first was a ‘sound and image’ electronic piece performed in front of a large crowd at the Goethe Institute; the second, created in collaboration with the South African organization ‘Natural Justice’, was a slide show presentation of a comic book designed to reconnect South African indigenous groups with their lost histories and mythologies.

At both events we witnessed first hand the students’ and faculty’s creativity, enthusiasm, and willingness to engage with critical issues.  Their positive energy, engagement and deep thinking were incredibly inspiring.
These first encounters are a strong starting point in a budding relationship between Emergent Art Space and the Srishti School, and we are confident that they will lead to exciting collaborations in the near future.

Stay tuned! We're hoping to host some of the Srishti’s students’ projects on the EAS website very soon!