This program brought together artists, writers and photographers working in Darjeeling hills and Sikkim to engage in discussions and offers a short introduction to oral history as a material and method of historical analysis for art practitioners. The objective of the discussions was to understand how local histories become part of their own artistic practices. This program was organized as part of a research project ‘Landing on Histories’ (Principal Investigator Dr Sara Shneiderman, Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia), carried out by Anudeep Dewan, a PhD student of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. Anudeep is interested in the changing relationships to and knowledge of land among Indigenous communities in
Nepal and India.
Day 1: Artist discussion
How do artists of Darjeeling Hills & Sikkim engage with local political issues in their
work? How do these issues inform their practices? How does art open up space for critical engagement with social issues? This discussion will bring together local artists, writers and photographers to engage in discussions about their reflections on their own artistic practices. The objective of this discussion is to facilitate a space for dialogue between practitioners and to learn from each other’s experiences and hopes.
Day 2: Introduction to Oral History
How can oral history contribute to local histories and records, and what does it mean for activating memories in a recorded form? This workshop introduces oral history as an alternative method to history recording and writing as the need arises and is relevant. This workshop's objective is to briefly introduce the method and issues of oral history. It will cover issues of interpretation, the role of oral history in history- making, and the complexities of creating such archives:
- Introduction to Oral History: Strengths and considerations - Complexities: Interpretation, relation and ethical issues - Discussion: Relevance of oral history in the local context
Venue: Buddha Pada, Kalimpong
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