Ujaan: Festival for the Sunderbans

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Festival forthe Sunderbans


“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference.The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference.

And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.”—Elie Wiesel (Writer. Nobel Prize winner for Peace in 1986.)


Festival for the Sunderbans

Ujaan is a three day music and art festival for the Sunderbans. The first chapter of Ujaan will be held in Frasergunj, West Bengal, tentatively in late January 2011.It aims to bring together artists, musicians, thinkers, activists and organisations working in varied fields and disciplines, from across the globe, to make heard the plight of and help raise funds in aid of the people and ecology of the Sunderbans delta that is fast disappearing due to manmade climate change.


Magic Wallrush is a combined arts collective that

Supports, promotes and curates • art that cross artistic and cultural boundaries.

Engages with and champions • new and young artists who use one or more artforms to achieve their aims.

Promotes • collaboration between artists and artforms.

Researches, revives and promotes• local and indigenous Indian artforms and handicrafts and public art spaces.

Develops new and • non traditional ways of connecting art with the public.

Helps individuals and organisations bring about • positive change through art, design and sustainable

communication.

6 thirdeyeproject magic wallrush studiosPhoto: Magic Wallrush/Ranabir Das


At Magic Wallrush Studio, we believe it is our responsibility as artists of the twenty-first century to consciously harness the potential of art and culture to change attitudes and behaviour and bring about effective and sustainable positive change. It is with this vision to rebuild our society as a living organism, as a work of art, that we bring to you the first chapter of Ujaan, a three day arts festival in aid of the Sunderbans.

Art for Positive Change

The history of the arts is the history of mankind. From cave paintings to urban graffiti, the human race has chronicled every rise and fall of its progress through the arts. But the artist has never been just the passive observer. A look at our past and the world around us also reveals the power of art and culture to change, to mould and give direction to society.

At Magic Wallrush Studio, we believe it is our responsibility as artists of the twenty-first century to consciously harness this potential of art and culture to change attitudes and behaviour and bring about effective and sustainable positive change. Art can build identity and pride, strengthen bonds, improve quality of life on all socioeconomic levels, and engage children and youth in education and their environment. Art can be the catalyst for social change, engaging all ages and communities. Diversity can be embraced through art, building trust and understanding. Art can give us the means for peaceful protest and ensure an equal and democratic society. And art can act as the economic engine that drives all humanity towards a truly better future.

It is with this vision to rebuild our society as a living organism, as a work of art, that we bring to you the first chapter of Ujaan, a three (?) day arts festival. The festival, scheduled to be held in Frasergunj, West Bengal between January and early February 2011 (shortly after the Ganga Sagar Mela) aims to bring together artists, musicians, thinkers and activists from varied fields and disciplines, from across the globe to help raise funds in aid of and make heard the plight of the people and ecology of the fast disappearing Sunderbans.


Sundarban, the single largest block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world, could be completely submerged due to climate change by the end of the century, causing the extinction of hundreds of animal and plant species and leaving thousands of people homeless. Over the next few decades these people will face increased displacement due to loss of land and livelihood, thus increasing India’s count of climate refugees and adding to the burden of poverty under which we are already reeling. And yet over 80% of the Indian population have never heard of global warming. This includes the part of the population that stands to be the worst impacted by manmade climate change

Climate change stares us in the face. Sundarban, the single largest block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world could be completely submerged by the end of the century causing the extinction of hundreds of animal and plant species and leaving thousands of people homeless. In other parts of India too, climate change threatens the lives and livelihoods of the millions of farmers and fishermen who depend on our rivers and coasts. And yet over 80% of the Indian population have never heard of global warming. This includes the part of the population that stands to be the worst impacted by manmade climate change. Over the next few decades these people will face increased displacement due to loss of land and livelihood, thus increasing India’s count of climate refugees and adding to the burden of poverty under which we are already reeling. At this critical juncture where we have less than five years to act before it all goes out of hand, we must choose to change or face obliteration.

The Sinking Sunderbans


An annual three day festival may not be nearly enough to deal with the many problems that arise out of climate change. Which is why our Ujaan programme includes a number of initiatives that look to build a strong and sustained movement among various communities, with our pre-festival and post-festival activities.

We are the ChangeYou Wish to See

12 thirdeyeproject magic wallrush studiosPhoto: Magic Wallrush/Ranabir Das

In the months leading up to the festival, Magic Wallrush in association with other organisations and independent artists and activists will

Document problems related to climate • change in the deltaEducate the villagers about climate change • and its impactsIntroduce and install renewable • decentralised energy solutions in the area, Mobilise the young people of Calcutta to • take action against Climate Change.

Pre-Festival

Activities1. Documentation Bringing together both new and established writers, illustrators, photographers and film makers, Magic Wallrush will document some of the worst climate change impacts in the Sunderbans.

The body of work will then be used to create campaigning tools in our work during as well as after the festival.

2. Working with the localsWe believe the best way to bring about positive change is through grassroots education and empowerment. Magic Wallrush and other activists, volunteers and organisations will work to create awareness about climate change among the local population, encouraging them to take action against climate change at an individual as well as community level.

In addition to this, we will also adopt a village in the area, and with the help of renewable energy entrepreneurs introduce and install rooftop solar panels, empowering and enabling the villagers to send a powerful message to a country addicted to coal.


3. School and College StudentsThe youth initiative plan for Ujaan, Festival for the Sunderbans is aimed to help modify their attitudes and behaviours, teach them how to make changes to their own lives, reduce their carbon footprints and become connected to the global environmental movement.

We plan to do this through screenings of films, initiating open discussion on the matter through participatory presentations, and an inter- school and college competition that will see the students come up with their own plans for a campaign against Climate Change.


Ujaan, the festival for Sunderbans celebrates the beauty and splendour of the earth we have inherited while sending a warning about the one we might leave behind. We wish to reach out to as large an audience as possible, and leave as deep an impression on its mind as an issue of this magnitude demands.The festival will be held at Frasergunj, near a sleepy fishing village at the mouth of one of the many distributaries of the Ganges. We expect over five thousand people to turn up for three days of sea, sand, music and activism.

Festival days


The ConcertA three-day music concert, featuring artists from various genres including Indian Classical, Baul, Sufi and folk, Jazz and Soul, Rock, World, and Psychadelic/Electronica.

The ThirdeyeAn interactive installation designed by Magic Wallrush Studio incorporating video, light art and soundscaping.

The GalleryAn exhibition featuring artwork and photography documenting and commenting upon global warming and climate change.

The Wallrush MelaA fair on the festival grounds that will continue for all three-days and nights.


At Magic Wallrush Studio we believe in Change and communication that is not only positive but also sustainable. Our Ujaan programme will continue long after the festival is over. The Ujaan website will host discussions, supply regular news updates, videos, photos and articles and run online campaigns to fight climate change. Offline, we will continue our efforts to educate the rural population of the Sunderbans and promote renewable decentralised energy with the help of volunteers and organisations.

Post-festival


Magic Wallrush Studio25B Mohini Mohan RoadCalcutta [email protected]

Arijit Sett, Executive Director+91 98307 [email protected]

Opashona Ghosh, Public Relations and Admin+91 90511 [email protected]

Abhijay Gupta, Creative Director+91 98304 [email protected]

Reach us:


Festival forthe Sunderbans a magicwallrushstudio project

Ujaan: Festival for the Sunderbans

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Transcript of Ujaan: Festival for the Sunderbans