Thank You Renu for the JOIN US mail.
At Thiruvanthapuram also a meeting is planned on Monday evening at the Press
Club.
In solidarity
C
----- Original Message -----
From: renu ramanath
Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:26 AM
Subject: {greenyouth} ARTISTS FROM ALL OVER INDIA COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT
BARODA ART STUDENT CHANDRAMOHAN ON MONDAY, MAY 14, 6 PM. PLEASE JOIN US.
Artists from all over India come together to support Baroda art student
Chandramohan on Monday, MAY 14, 6 pm. PLEASE JOIN US.
Artists from New Delhi, Bangalore, Cochin, Mumbai, Vishakapatnam, Hyderabad,
Guwahati, Kolkata and Santiniketan will come together on May 14 at 6 pm to
register their protest against the highhanded action taken by the police under
the instigation of a local politician against Chandramohan, a student from the
Arts Faculty of Baroda University. 23-year-old Chandramohan, a final year MVA
student, has been in police custody since May 9 when outside elements forced
their way into the premises of the Faculty of Fine Arts, M S University,
Baroda, without permission from the Faculty or University and prevailed upon
the police to arrest him. Charging him under non-bailable Sections, they also
imposed immediate closure of the examination work that was underway.
As a mark of protest, artists from the different cities will congregate to
raise their collective voice against this violation of freedom of expression
and autonomy of educational institutions. They will extend solidarity to the
staff and students of Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, who have not only stood
steadfast with the incarcerated student Chandramohan, but have over many
decades painstakingly built an academic institution of great repute and
distinction. The Art History Department of M S University of Baroda is
recognized all over the world as a center of excellence.
It is pertinent to state that the said works were part of the final year
annual display and were being shown as part of an internal academic assessment
exercise being conducted by the faculty. These works were not on public display
and in no way intended to be exhibited for public viewing.
The academic functioning of the Department has been further eroded by the
stand taken by the leadership of the University. The VC of the University has
not only declined to file an FIR against concerned persons who orchestrated the
entire violence but has also ordered the Dean and Faculty to tender an
unconditional apology. He also passed an order on 11 May, directing the sealing
of the Art History Department within the Faculty of Fine Arts for putting up an
exhibition of reproductions of images drawn from across 2500 years of Indian
art and suspended, the Acting Dean Dr Shivaji Panikkar, for a period of three
months. The exhibition, with images from Khajuraho, Konark, Ragamala series,
Lajja Gowri sculptures etc, was put together (as an academic response to
redress gross misconceptions about Indian art and culture) and an expression of
protest against the treatment meted out to their fellow student and colleagues.
The University seems to be wanting to bring the Department of Art History under
its direct control.
Meanwhile, the University has taken no step to give legal aid to
Chandramohan, who is a bona fide student and Lalit Kala Akademi winner from
Gujarat.
The action constitutes an assault on the core values of the University or for
that matter of any academic institution in a democratic country like India. We,
the artists of India, are marching together as a community to mark our deep
dismay and consternation at the chain of events. It is of great urgency that
Chandramohan, whose bail hearing has been postponed twice already, be released
immediately. And the fundamental freedom of artists and individuals provided to
us by the Constitution (be) upheld.
Please come to the meetings in large numbers and contact local/national media
so that the event gets enough notice. The venues are being firmed up in the
various cities and we will send out subsequent mails to inform you. As of now
New Delhi meeting is at Rabindra Bhavan
Mumbai at Jehangir Gallery
Vishakapatnam at Faculty of Fine Arts, Andhra University
Cochin at Kashi Art Café
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