On August 21, 2019, I arrived at the workshop Revolution and Counter-Revolution, based on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s writings on the same. It would take place at Kanhaiya Kunj Resort in Fardapur over the next five days. I didn’t know much about The Secular Movement, a guiding principle for the workshop – and online searches had not revealed much. But the site of the workshop, so close to the majestic Ajanta Caves, as well as the list of invited artists, was enticing enough for me to trust curator Prabhakar Kamble’s vision. I walked into the main hall just as Gautamiputra Kamble, the founder of Secular Movement, began his introductory speech, “The constitution is secular, and is allowed to interfere in any religious activities that are against humanity or the dignity of human beings. This is the government’s responsibility. But we have gathered here precisely because the government is not doing its part.” The workshop would be shaped by these words, whether in the strongly symbolic artwork that the artists were creating or in the daily lectures given by professor Y. S. Alone (School of Arts & Aesthetics, JNU, New Delhi), V. Divakar (art critic and curator of Knots Collective, Baroda, and resident curator at Conflictorium, Ahmedabad), and B.M.Paraswale (poet, painter and researcher). I would be hard pressed to find such a diverse group of artists in one setting anywhere else in the world, all connected by a shared understanding of Ambedkar’s vision for society. Also read: An Artist’s Survival Kit of Imagination for Dark TimesA week after the workshop, Prabhakar Kamble and I reflected on our experiences. Congratulations, Prabhakar, on a successful workshop. You chose to host it by the Ajanta Caves, a monumental site that remains at the heart of Buddhist arts and aesthetics discourse. It played a significant role in the workshop, particularly because so many of us participating artists were practicing Buddhists or interested in Buddhism. The year 2019 marks 200 years of its discovery by the western world. You mentioned that perhaps ours is the only group of artists coming together to celebrate this occasion, and how it took a social movement to bring us together, rather than an arts institution. It was wonderful to see that the Secular Movement, a social movement, has a strong historical lens, and understands Ajanta’s significance. Sites like Ajanta and Ellora are a testament to the fact that Buddhist art is India’s art, and that Buddhism is a vital part of India. The making of Ajanta Caves was a revolutionary move. These paintings and sculptures, made over 2000 years ago, not only highlight the impressive skills of the artists of that time, but they also allow us to see the Buddha, to see what he might have looked like. Because of the artists of an ancient time, we have these symbols of hope today. The workshop in progress. Photo: Tousif MatwalHow did you get involved with The Secular Movement, and how did it result in the workshop?The Secular Movement had organised an artist’s workshop in 2018 in Panchgani, on the theme of ‘Restlessness in Society’. I was invited to participate, and this was when I really understood what the movement was about. While it focuses on activism, it sees artists as essential to catalysing social change. The founder Gautamiputra Kamble and I formed a great friendship in Panchgani. He is a man full of knowledge, particularly about Babasaheb Ambedkar’s writings and theory. Many months and long discussions later, he asked me to plan an artists’ workshop on a national level. The theme, we decided, would be ‘Revolution and Counter-Revolution’. The foundational ideas behind ‘Revolution and Counter-Revolution’ are based on the book Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Ancient India (2017) which carries Dr. Ambedkar’s essays on the decline of Buddhism and the triumph of Brahminism. Today, we see a steady revival of Buddhism in India, precisely because of Babasaheb’s commitment to annihilating caste. But we can’t ignore the fact that violence against minorities is at a meteoric rise, too. Buddhism was a great revolution, and fought for liberty, equality, and fraternity long before the French Revolution took place. I believe our constitution too holds these values, and in a sense I see the constitution as the fruits of our revolution. It ensures that minorities are treated with human dignity and given access to basic rights such as education. If it weren’t for reservations and other advantages provided by the constitution, you and I would not be able to carry out this conversation today. But today, violence is normalised, and we are in a state of counter-revolution. Lynchings of Dalits and Muslims are caught on camera and yet, nothing happens to the perpetrators. Even the constitution was burnt last year in New Delhi by the ‘Youth for Equality’ group, while shouting slogans against Ambedkar! Also read: A Detailed Breakdown of Exactly How Justice Was Denied to Pehlu KhanA workshop like ours is necessary today. Many artists across India deal with Ambedkarite ideology in their visual language, but there is an urgency now to come together and show solidarity for one another in person, and study our history deeper.There was a mix of practices — experimental film, photojournalism, printmaking, poetry, sculpture and painting — in the work of the artists participating in the workshop. Our approaches to aesthetics and art history were all diverse. What was your vision when selecting us? Each of the participating artists contribute to an alternative discourse in art, one that highlights critical thinking, questioning and resistance. The art practiced by participants was varied as it was unique. Photo: Rajyashri GoodyI also wanted to involve artists who the art world has not yet recognised: such as Yashwant Kamble, better known as Yashwant Painter. I have known Yashwant since my childhood in the Kolhapur district. I was inspired by his music-making, singing and painting. He used to be a signboard painter, and after that industry dwindled he began making statues of Buddha, Babasaheb, and Phule for surrounding towns and villages. His statues, made from materials like concrete, are loved and appreciated by the communities who surround them. He only ever charges for the cost of material, and some travel compensation. A commercial gallery might never appreciate this, but Yashwant’s literacy of art allows him to communicate with the masses, something that many contemporary artists — that are successful in the art world networks — fail to do. What’s more, I find his statue-making very clever. If you look closely at his Ambedkar busts, they resemble self-portraits. His likeness is reflected in his sculptures. However, with a pair of spectacles, a tie and a suit, the image is transformed into that of Dr. Ambedkar. Yashwant sir’s rendition of the recent floods in Maharashtra was incredibly powerful. In the painting, an empty temple drowns in water, while people and animals in nearby boats wait for help… His dedication and ability to react to our current threats in such detail is very impressive. I’m glad many artists got to present their works too, along with making work. We might live across the country, but it’s good to see we share similar thoughts and ideals.Also read: In Iran, a Musician Risks Freedom For Human RightsOnly by coming together can we can unleash the potential of our collective discourse. The idea of, as Divakar put it, an alternative consciousness or discourse, came up several times during the workshop, in casual conversations and lectures. Artists Jithinlal and V.V. Vinu from Kerala also expressed this search for a new language as an important aspect of their practices. Namdeo Dhasal was a great poet precisely because of his use of language. If he had attempted to sit within an already existing form of poetry, his work might not be so powerful. Instead he created his own language from life experiences — a language large enough to fill a dictionary. The life stories that we have to tell are very different from those with more privilege. This must reflect in our aesthetic. Clark House Initiative did a great job in developing an alternative language through their way of expression, presentation, and even their existence. Their presence gave many artists from diverse backgrounds an experience of what an alternative space has to offer. What really matters is the intention. Artists come together hoping to foster an alternative discourse, but many lose momentum when approached by commercial galleries. Such opportunities are great, but how does one maintain the original intentions of an art practice, without allowing them to shift? For Prabhakar Kamble, an artists’ movement is key to devising an alternative discourse, free from caste and communalism. Photo: Rajyashree GoodyDivakar mentioned, in his lecture Priests in Disguise: The sham of avant-garde alternatives, and other blah blahs in art that he sees the Indian art world mirroring the caste system, with art institutions made up of savarna people holding all of the decision-making power, and often attempting to use Dalit people and politics simply as a tool for their own cultural capital. Artists from minority backgrounds still don’t have a sure footing in the art world — a foot in the proverbial temple, if you will. It’s necessary for us to occupy various spaces, not just those we see as ‘alternative’ but relatively more mainstream ones. But, just like Divakar and you said, whichever position we find ourselves in, our consciousness must not shift. To fortify it and develop an alternative discourse through our practice is a process. This requires time, commitment, and many more such workshops and meetings. This consciousness isn’t simply limited to followers of Babasaheb and Buddhism either. In fact, a considerable number of participants in the workshop were not Buddhist. Take Mrudula Kunatharaju from Baroda. She is originally from Visakhapatnam, but I don’t actually know her caste or religious background — and I don’t need to either. I find her video works are powerful, and her practice critical of gendered power structures. There are so many like her who are restless about the current socio-political climate, and ready to come together with like-minded people. We must connect the dots. Gatherings like this cannot survive without patronage. There aren’t many opportunities for artists, and as a result, there is so much competition, anxiety and resentment between peers. It begins to resemble the rigidity of the caste system that Divakar so astutely compared it to. With this workshop you were able to give 40 artists the opportunity to participate, with all of their costs covered. How did you manage to pull off the finances?People were suspicious of us, and especially of a workshop titled ‘Revolution and Counter-Revolution’. Many potential sponsors — and even some invited artists — didn’t understand the relevance of ‘Jai Bhim’. Jai Bhim isn’t related to a political campaign, it is a mark of respect for the greatest social reformer of our country, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. It also has a historical trace in an incident where a Dalit person was killed for having the audacity to say ‘namaskar’ to an upper-caste man, as his equal. Today, there are instances of Dalits being attacked for saying ‘Jai Bhim’ too. Many such doubts about our intentions made it hard to find sponsors, but Camlin, the paint company, readily agreed to provide us with paints, no questions asked. There was also a businessman who had approached us during an exhibition of paintings in Pune, which were made during the previous workshop in Panchgani. When we mentioned the possibility of a workshop near Ajanta Caves, he generously sponsored the hotel and food. Many artists also refused to get their travel expenses reimbursed, and these gestures helped a lot. I don’t think any art institution would have been interested in supporting us, especially because of the concept of the workshop. Many institutions are afraid to take a stand against today’s political moment of normalised violence, in case they lose their power. That’s why we deliberately didn’t get in touch with any of them. Along with new friendships and solidarities formed over the five days, several new works were produced around themes of revolution, counter-revolution and resistance. Now you plan to curate an exhibition with these works in the coming months. Can you tell me more about this? Rajyashri, your work is easily accepted as installation art, but I see Yashwant Kamble too as an installation artist in the context of him travelling around Maharashtra and setting up Ambedkar and Buddha sculptures in public settings. The workshop allowed me to develop these connections. All the participants have a certain depth of understanding of Ambedkar’s words and work, and this is what binds us together.Also read: The Name Dalit Panthers Was Synonymous With Justice for the PoorMy curatorial vision lies in the tracing of social movements and the arts, not just in India but in other parts of the world too. How can art fortify those fighting against injustice, and not sit on the sidelines? I’m inspired by the Dalit Panther Movement, the Black Panthers and Black Arts Movements both in the UK and the USA. I am developing a touring exhibition based on these experiences, starting with New Delhi. It’s important for these acts of solidarity to be presented in commercial galleries, because we must break through the boundaries of the Indian art world, as well as spaces like public auditoriums where larger sections of society can access our practices and our discourse. After all, does an artist’s life really matter if their work is not seen or heard by the Common Man? Rajyashri Goody is an artist with a background in sociology and visual anthropology. She works with text, ceramics and paper on themes of Dalit resistance and food politics. She lives and works in Pune.