Street-smart acts

Cities are not just characterised by dimensions or constrained by boundaries. They are also looked at as living entities which facilitate an exchange of ideas and interactions. As the City grows in every sphere, its map is re-designed, partly because of the way localised spaces are getting transformed.

The stark lines between private and public spheres don’t exist anymore. The presence of different kinds of art forms in public spaces is good for the common man. These days, be it musical sessions, dance performances, festivals, flash mobs or awareness campaigns, you can find them all on the streets.

Round-the-clock musical events and jams are some of the biggest examples of private groups holding out events in public spaces. Events, like ‘DrumJam’, that occur once every month in MG Road, and ‘Freedom Jam’, that first started in ‘Cubbon Park’ and has now taken to spaces like Swami Vivekananda Metro Centre and Peenya Metro Station, have got the public tapping their feet.

Adhir, a drummer with ‘Broken Membrane’, says that this is one of the reasons why he loves performing at ‘Freedom Jam’. Vidya of ‘DrumJam’ adds “It’s a private group but for public interest and purview. It’s an agenda free event and held to lighten the atmosphere. It’s a walk-in for anyone and the interesting part here is that new faces are seen all the time.”

For activists and NGOs, taking to a public sphere has been helpful for their awareness campaigns and to increase their volunteer base. Nestin, a professional and founder of the NGO, ‘Little More Love’, says, “Crowded places like Brigade Road, MG Road and even Jayanagar are great for events and awareness campaigns because there are always people walking up and down the street. One never knows when they will stumble upon a person who might help in an unimaginable way.”

However, this does not always work to an advantage. While most performances take place in public spaces for public view, few events take place in the public sphere because of lack of spaces. This is especially true for theatre, in Bengaluru. Abhishek, from WeMove Theatre group says, “There are no auditoriums to practise and the existing ones ask for a lot of money just to rent out their space for an hour or two.

The ‘Guru Nanak Bhavan’ auditorium is a public space but they don’t let theatre groups practise there. It’s now being inhabited by stray dogs. This is why a lot of theatre groups come out in the open arena such as parks, terraces or rooftops to perform. It’s a problem because it disturbs the neighbourhood when our voices go really high during the practice.” 

The most evident form of ‘private in public’ comes across in street art. Street artist Amitabh Kumar says that privately-owned walls that are now renting out spaces to public entities for art is a welcome move. “While art is very subjective, when it comes to street art, the work centres around that site and with materials from that site which increases the dynamics between the public and the private.”

However, public art and art in public is not always easy. Abhishek says, “Permissions are always required with security, staff and neighbourhood. Nobody knows where to avail permissions from and hence we take to dormant spaces, vacant plots and empty grounds which are difficult to find.”All said and done, the City is being turned into a canvas, a gallery, a studio or a stage is by all means a positive development.