Unusual performance art stumps many at Cubbon Park

Mirroring life

International artistes Rokko Juhasz of Hungary and Nanxy Liu from China gave Bengalureans a glimpse of performance art in Cubbon Park on Sunday. Performance art is a form which is unscripted and spontaneous, usually performed in public spaces like parks, streets and subways.

 Juhasz, Liu and Bengaluru-based artist Monica Nanjunda were seen performing various pieces even as curious onlookers were trying to figure out the act.

Monica sat in a busy spot, polishing grains of rice one by one as people gathered around to watch her strange actions. Monica explained, “The art is open to interpretation. Sometimes people understand this, sometimes they don’t. The idea is to take art out of galleries and get common people to discuss it.”

Liu’s performance involved sticking a banned note of the Rs 1,000 denomination to her mouth. Explaining her performance, Liu said, “When I came to India, I had this Rs 1,000 note. I tried to get it exchanged through friends and local contacts but they told me the deadline was over. I realised that people were facing similar problems so I made this the theme.”

Liu was however, unprepared for the reaction from the audience. Some of them interpreted it as an insult to Prime Minister Modi and took offence, forcing her to stop halfway through. Several others thought it would be disturbing for the children to watch her wrap her head in tape.

“I have heard of such things happening to other performance artistes. I thought people would be more open to discussion in India than in my country where everything is censored,” she said.

“For the first time I am witnessing such a spontaneous, unannounced performance in a public space. It was interesting to see how people reacted. Some could not understand it and found it funny, while others found meaning in it,” said Dheeraj Kumar, an onlooker.