<p>A tiny speck of Europe in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Reunion Island, is not your average offshore location. An island that is hardly the size of an average Indian city, it plays host to an eclectic mix of cultures. Mauritius, which is about 200 kilometres away is its nearest neighbour, not the country that the Reunion Island is part of — France. The island is a melting pot of Indian, African, Malagasy and European cultures, courtesy the welcome it gave to settlers from these civilisations down the years. But the people who inhabit this rugged landscape are now no longer Indian, African, European or Malagasy — just Creole, the language they speak. And their art? A real melting pot, if ever their was one. <br /><br />Long back, Arab sailors had termed it Adna Al Maghribain meaning, ‘the closest of the two western islands’. Seafaring Cholas from India’s southern shores landed in the island during 11th century and were spell struck by the island’s furious volcanic activity. The Portuguese landed here in 1635. In 1665, the French East India Company sent the first 20 settlers. Added to this, for long, the island was a stopover on the East Indies trade route. No wonder that ‘eclectic’ is an understatement for when describing this island’s culture. <br /><br />Art cannot, but carry at least a few strands of its historical DNA. This is what makes reunion art so special, as the display of their contemporary art (at Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi) by 11 artists from this quaint island proves. The artists are Stefan Barniche, Jack Beng-Thi, Boogie dit Yannis Nanguet, Patrice Cujo, Jace, Jean-Claude Jolet, Kid Kréol dit Jean-Sébastien Clain, Gabrielle Manglou, Louis Pavageau, Yohann Quëland de Saint Pern, and Pascale Simonet. <br /><br />The umbilical link with Indian art happens to be very strong. In fact, this entire collection of works follows on from the exhibition entitled ‘Traits Contemporains’ in Reunion Island last year, at which India was a guest. “These artists from Reunion Island always speak of India, and India speaks to them — India has always inhabited the soul of the people of Reunion Island,” says Francene Meoule, the Amsterdam-based art historian and independent curator, who has curated this show.<br /><br />Issues of identity<br />Between them, the cultures which amalgamate in this island could summarise a major chunk of earth’s major ancient cultures — African, Indian, Chinese and French. Such an eclectic cultural inheritance can be both a blessing and a curse. There is, of course, an oasis of tradition to draw inspiration from; but there are also the emerging issues of identity. “This intertwining leads to questioning, to hybrid forms of expression, but also to types of syncretism deeply anchored in the techniques of contemporary art. It raises questions concerning multiple identities. It also raises questions concerning the Creole identity. What does it mean to be a Reunionese artist today?” sums up Francene. However, the younger generation of artists are more concerned with the future, as it should be than with the past — or the issue of historical identity. “Identity was largely questioned by artists of Reunion Island in the Seventies,” says Stefan Barniche. <br />For an island that can be toured in its entirety in less than a day, Reunion Island does make a disproportionally huge artistic statement. So it is that the art of this island is as gay as it is violent, as sedate as it is forceful, as serious as it is tinged with humour, and as eclectic as it is unique. You find an unmistakable link to great events of history, as well as to various mythologies. There is beauty here, as well as violence. There is tradition here, as well as the challenging edge of tomorrow’s art. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Reunion artists have used the tools of caricature, film art, installation art, photography, coloured inks on paper, adhesive on canvas, and even sound installations to spell out their thoughts and understand themselves, their connections with the past, their transience to the future, and their place in history and culture. “Artists here are always looking for cultural exchanges, creating or reinventing new links with the countries that have contributed to their Creole world,” observes Bernard Marcade, art researcher and curator. <br /><br />Terrestrial impact<br />Metaphors come dime a dozen when you have to describe this island. Dominated by a rocky and spectacular tropical landscape, the currents that dash against this island are violent. So deep is the impact of the terrain in this island that sculptor and plastician Jack Beng Thi has made his image a part of the terrain in a digital print on aluminium that is on display here at the show. “Tourism is the major thing here,” says young Stefan Barniche, who is currently exploring the instant’s pause when things are just about to explode or disintegrate. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Kid Kreol dit Jean-Sebastien Clain draws from his connections with graffiti and street art, and works with black paint spray. Gabrielle Manglou through her coloured inks on paper and video installations explores “the elastic border between spaces things, beings and souls.” Louis Pavageau, basically a street artist with a passion for graffiti says, “I put colour in urban landscape. Though they may seem like abstract compositions, they are situated in places that are very real indeed.” Likewise, Yohann Quëland de Saint-Pern delves into man’s relation to his geographical, physical, and mental surroundings via audio-visual installations.<br /><br />Though steeped in Indian culture, a visit to India does overwhelm these Creoles. “India harbours the entire spectrum of life from the top to the bottom,” Stefan observes. “In the Reunion Islands, there are about two tiers of people, in terms of economics, or otherwise. Here, the tiers seem to be infinite.” <br /><br />Several of these Reunion works on display got their completion and inspiration from ‘the real India’ — after these Creole artists landed in our country for this show. “We wanted to use local material and colour,” they say. So, several of the works on display here have been propped up on vibrantly hued plastic pots and buckets! Well, tragic that what has caught the Reunion eye about ‘incredible’ India is our plastic avatar, rather than the rich cultural and craft heritage that Indian civilisation has given to the world — spanning bamboo, shell and wood to what not. We might just need to reflect a little on this. Has India turned its back on its spectacular cultural and craft heritage in favour of plastic?</p>
<p>A tiny speck of Europe in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Reunion Island, is not your average offshore location. An island that is hardly the size of an average Indian city, it plays host to an eclectic mix of cultures. Mauritius, which is about 200 kilometres away is its nearest neighbour, not the country that the Reunion Island is part of — France. The island is a melting pot of Indian, African, Malagasy and European cultures, courtesy the welcome it gave to settlers from these civilisations down the years. But the people who inhabit this rugged landscape are now no longer Indian, African, European or Malagasy — just Creole, the language they speak. And their art? A real melting pot, if ever their was one. <br /><br />Long back, Arab sailors had termed it Adna Al Maghribain meaning, ‘the closest of the two western islands’. Seafaring Cholas from India’s southern shores landed in the island during 11th century and were spell struck by the island’s furious volcanic activity. The Portuguese landed here in 1635. In 1665, the French East India Company sent the first 20 settlers. Added to this, for long, the island was a stopover on the East Indies trade route. No wonder that ‘eclectic’ is an understatement for when describing this island’s culture. <br /><br />Art cannot, but carry at least a few strands of its historical DNA. This is what makes reunion art so special, as the display of their contemporary art (at Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi) by 11 artists from this quaint island proves. The artists are Stefan Barniche, Jack Beng-Thi, Boogie dit Yannis Nanguet, Patrice Cujo, Jace, Jean-Claude Jolet, Kid Kréol dit Jean-Sébastien Clain, Gabrielle Manglou, Louis Pavageau, Yohann Quëland de Saint Pern, and Pascale Simonet. <br /><br />The umbilical link with Indian art happens to be very strong. In fact, this entire collection of works follows on from the exhibition entitled ‘Traits Contemporains’ in Reunion Island last year, at which India was a guest. “These artists from Reunion Island always speak of India, and India speaks to them — India has always inhabited the soul of the people of Reunion Island,” says Francene Meoule, the Amsterdam-based art historian and independent curator, who has curated this show.<br /><br />Issues of identity<br />Between them, the cultures which amalgamate in this island could summarise a major chunk of earth’s major ancient cultures — African, Indian, Chinese and French. Such an eclectic cultural inheritance can be both a blessing and a curse. There is, of course, an oasis of tradition to draw inspiration from; but there are also the emerging issues of identity. “This intertwining leads to questioning, to hybrid forms of expression, but also to types of syncretism deeply anchored in the techniques of contemporary art. It raises questions concerning multiple identities. It also raises questions concerning the Creole identity. What does it mean to be a Reunionese artist today?” sums up Francene. However, the younger generation of artists are more concerned with the future, as it should be than with the past — or the issue of historical identity. “Identity was largely questioned by artists of Reunion Island in the Seventies,” says Stefan Barniche. <br />For an island that can be toured in its entirety in less than a day, Reunion Island does make a disproportionally huge artistic statement. So it is that the art of this island is as gay as it is violent, as sedate as it is forceful, as serious as it is tinged with humour, and as eclectic as it is unique. You find an unmistakable link to great events of history, as well as to various mythologies. There is beauty here, as well as violence. There is tradition here, as well as the challenging edge of tomorrow’s art. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Reunion artists have used the tools of caricature, film art, installation art, photography, coloured inks on paper, adhesive on canvas, and even sound installations to spell out their thoughts and understand themselves, their connections with the past, their transience to the future, and their place in history and culture. “Artists here are always looking for cultural exchanges, creating or reinventing new links with the countries that have contributed to their Creole world,” observes Bernard Marcade, art researcher and curator. <br /><br />Terrestrial impact<br />Metaphors come dime a dozen when you have to describe this island. Dominated by a rocky and spectacular tropical landscape, the currents that dash against this island are violent. So deep is the impact of the terrain in this island that sculptor and plastician Jack Beng Thi has made his image a part of the terrain in a digital print on aluminium that is on display here at the show. “Tourism is the major thing here,” says young Stefan Barniche, who is currently exploring the instant’s pause when things are just about to explode or disintegrate. <br /><br />Meanwhile, Kid Kreol dit Jean-Sebastien Clain draws from his connections with graffiti and street art, and works with black paint spray. Gabrielle Manglou through her coloured inks on paper and video installations explores “the elastic border between spaces things, beings and souls.” Louis Pavageau, basically a street artist with a passion for graffiti says, “I put colour in urban landscape. Though they may seem like abstract compositions, they are situated in places that are very real indeed.” Likewise, Yohann Quëland de Saint-Pern delves into man’s relation to his geographical, physical, and mental surroundings via audio-visual installations.<br /><br />Though steeped in Indian culture, a visit to India does overwhelm these Creoles. “India harbours the entire spectrum of life from the top to the bottom,” Stefan observes. “In the Reunion Islands, there are about two tiers of people, in terms of economics, or otherwise. Here, the tiers seem to be infinite.” <br /><br />Several of these Reunion works on display got their completion and inspiration from ‘the real India’ — after these Creole artists landed in our country for this show. “We wanted to use local material and colour,” they say. So, several of the works on display here have been propped up on vibrantly hued plastic pots and buckets! Well, tragic that what has caught the Reunion eye about ‘incredible’ India is our plastic avatar, rather than the rich cultural and craft heritage that Indian civilisation has given to the world — spanning bamboo, shell and wood to what not. We might just need to reflect a little on this. Has India turned its back on its spectacular cultural and craft heritage in favour of plastic?</p>
