One only has to look at the recent success of films such as East is East and Bend it Like Beckham, or the popularity of television programmes such as The Kumars at No. 42, to see that South Asian artists have reached the cultural mainstream. The popularity of South Asian dance and music too, is measured by the success of artists like Akram Khan and Talvin Singh, whose talents have launched them to positions of high profile both nationally and internationally.
While there are breakthrough artists and artforms to be recognised, however, we also have to wonder why we can only count them on one or two hands. This is the view of Dr Sarita Malik, head of Asian Arts Development at West London multi-purpose arts venue, Watermans. ‘There are so many exciting, dynamic South Asian artists working in Britain at the moment,’ she says. ‘They need to be recognised, as well.’
As a venue which has made significant contributions to the showcasing of Asian arts over the past ten years, Watermans would seem the ideal organisation to host DNAsia, a conference to be held March 24-25, which aims to map the future of South Asian arts in the UK. Certainly, says Malik, part of the inspiration for the conference was drawn from a need for the organisation to examine more closely its investment in the Asian arts sector.
‘We felt that there was a lack of critical debate around Asian arts,’ she says. ‘And, as a venue that supports Asian arts on an ongoing basis, we felt we should think seriously about presenting some kind of forum for feedback – directly in terms of our program, but also more generally as a forum for Asian artists, cultural practitioners, funders and industry figures. We need to question whether or not we should be investing in Asian arts, but also what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.’
Part of the reason for a lack of critical debate surrounding South Asian arts, Malik says, is that many of the South Asian arts-specific issues have been buried by the plethora of discussion around ‘cultural diversity.’
‘On the one hand, it’s great that cultural diversity is a buzz-word at the moment, and that it’s central to the ethos of so many organisations,’ comments Malik. ‘You won’t find an organisation today, particularly in the arts and public sectors, that doesn’t have a cultural diversity ethos. That’s been good for Asian arts, in the sense that there have been broad debates around how we can diversify, and how we can diversify arts practice and practitioners. But at the same time, the specific details around Asian arts have been threatened, in the sense that they have been subsumed within that broader debate.’
As a venue engaged in the promotion of South Asian arts, Malik says that Watermans tries to counter this problem by being very explicit in its role.
‘We don’t really focus on “Asian arts”,’ she says. ‘We focus on South Asian arts, and we encourage a range of South Asian arts [that are influenced by] a British perspective. Even that is a kind of specific area of Asian arts that needs two days for a discussion of the issues.’
While Malik is determined that DNAsia should have a specific focus, she also admits that, as a new project, the first conference will address a broad range of issues relating to various forms of artistic expression.
‘This particular DNAsia is an “umbrella” conference,’ she comments. ‘It’s an introduction, and so we need to look at a range of artforms and a range of issues. In future, we’d like to have further DNAsia strands, focusing on a particular artform or spaces: a conference on film, a conference on theatre, a conference on new media.’
The key strands in 2003 will focus on dance and film. Speakers include filmmaker Nilesh Patel, choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh and acclaimed artist and Moti Roti founder, Keith Khan. The conference keynote speaker is Tara Arts founder Jatinder Verma, who will speak about the relevance of the term ‘Asian Arts’ and the issues of separation and connection that are associated with it.
In addition, notes Malik, a number of panels have been set up to address issues of aesthetics, practice and networking.
‘The first panel will look at a range of artforms,’ she says. ‘Five practitioners of photography, film and dance will look at where those artforms are at, and try to instigate some debate about whether we can really say that there is an Asian aesthetic at work.’
‘Another panel will look at the relationship between the artist and external factors, such as audiences, policy and funding, and the last panel will look at the links between the past, present and future of South Asian arts.’
In covering such a broad range of artforms and issues, Malik acknowledges that the conference is likely to attract a broad audience. She thinks that this is a good thing.
‘We want it to be an artist-led and artist-aware conference,’ she says. ‘But, at the same time, I think everyone has a vested interest in being engaged in these debates in some way. Asian arts are many things and it will therefore be something that is relevant to a range of people.’
‘I think there will be a range of knowledge in the audience. Some people will be coming to learn more about Asian art and others will be there to network and make connections. These are not just issues for Asian audiences or Asian artists. These are issues that are across the board, because, at the end of the day, this is one of the most dynamic and burgeoning areas of British arts today.’
DATES: March 24-25
VENUE: Watermans, 40 High Street, Brentford
COST: £120 one day / £200 two days
BOOKINGS: 020 8232 1010
