An Art Performance project by Anupam Saikia at Guwahati, Assam India.
The video documentation of this Art performance was displayed at Student biennale, Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016-17.
This project was a consequence
of memory, history, and narrative of the landscape where I was working since
long time. The partial inspiration was that how I observe the landscape in
everyday life. Also I have seen the land erosion increase day by day because of
the urbanization.
Though I would like to
develop the site specificity through performative way and tried to experience
the abstract layer within it. Meanwhile I am using two Assamese poems written
by Nilomoni Phukan where I was trying to juxtapose between the narratives of
the landscape with the context. In my perception the poetry helps to enhancing
the performative aspect.
Have
you found any answer
Have you found any answer
Have you seen yourself floating
in a pool of your own blood
This also is a cruel illumination of an utmost
experience
An unexpected terrible encounter of life with
life
besmeared in blood
Have you found yourself back
Your thirst
Your sorrow
To the wet eyes
of the hungry terrified child
Have you given any answer
Have you seen yourself floating
in a pool of your own blood
Much time have passed, much time
O you fulfilled human being!
(Original
poem in Assamese by Nilomoni Phukan. Translated by Bidyut Sagar Boruah.)
And
Exactly Then Lay I Unconscious
1
And exactly then I lay unconscious
On regaining consciousness I saw
in a closed room naked
I am sobbing in tears
Through the glass of the window now you
Whether look at me or not
laugh or not
cry or not
When the village flew away
turning into a flock of ravens
The paddies turning into burning straw
Voice like the seeds of ripe pomegranate
when turned into ashes.
2
The matter is very terrible
Very usual
Like snatching out your own eyes
And roaming around
carrying them in your hands
Like domesticating a pair of pigeons
3
The hungry old woman said,
‘Son don’t say anymore
Water became stone instead
Food became poison instead
Cannot see
Cannot hear
Cannot speak
Cannot think
Cannot eat
Cannot sleep.’
4
Sigh! The man yet alive…
The scene is very old
The man was swollen
Was vomiting blood
Tumbled down to gutter
One side of the face
fell off.
Even after that
Kicking with boots
crushed the set of teeth
Set fire in the genitals
And…
5
Yes, wanted to tell
How the man came up
from the burning pyre
A smell rose from the body
like the raw turmeric
The man became like that boy
who came running at midnight
with a burning torch
In every part of his body stirred
Bharali and Kopili of the monsoon
6
The scene is very perilous
Very usual
Wanted to say
Amongst all these are here, not here,
will be, won’t be
when you…
When everything is inevitable
despite of being human, you…
Through the mirror glasses now you
whether look at me or not
cry or not
laugh or not
What should I tell my mother now
How should I
If I would not have been born
my share of morsel
(Original poem in
Assamese by Nilomoni Phukan. Translated by Bidyut Sagar Boruah.)
by Anupam Saikia.
