The Song for Peace
Duration - 03:40 minutes
"The Song for Peace '' calls for a world without borders, religions, or possessions, envisioning a peaceful coexistence. The meditation bowl song's message is powerful and continues to inspire generations to strive for peace and unity. And here, I perform in nature, with a meditation bowl just to see how we can live with nature with harmony. Creating a piece that harmonizes nature with the human experience can evoke a sense of interconnectedness and unity. Through the performance I want to depict a picture of the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature, highlighting the need for understanding, respect, and preservation. Imagery of the elements - earth, water, air, and fire are intertwined with human emotions and actions could be quite impactful. Musically, incorporating natural sounds like flowing water, rustling leaves, or bird songs into the melody further emphasizes on the theme of unity between humanity and the environment.
Debashish Paul
Through my work, I explore the problems of queer identity in a society dominated by heterosexual norms, working across mediums including sculptural costume, performance, dance, video, and drawing. I identify as non-binary and seek to expand and explore the taboo around homosexuality by unveiling the body, treating it as a tender landscape, and generating new references for queer identities. Working in the method of automatism, I express my private emotions and sensibilities freely and without any control of prior thought or planning. I am meticulous while choosing materials for my works.
My recent sculptural costumes and connected performances indicate no specific gender orientation, male or female. They are sensible screens that conceal and reveal fragile emotions and desires that conflict with expected societal norms. The sculptural dresses I make and wear, hide the physical body but reveal the internal body. In most cases, they are fluid figures, as if the innate complexity and diversity cannot be contained in a human outline. These continue to transform according to emotion, feelings and space. The captive soul wants to be free through performance and movement. The symbolic scenography of my dance and performance both in nature and city streets sets a stage for a story about hidden, personal dreams. Art becomes the “door to freedom”.