Ladakh: Amid the surreal landscape of Disko Valley in Ladakh, dry mud, and centuries-old rocks have metamorphosed into a liquid avatar.
Different connections are being formed, and technology and art are interacting to convey synonyms of a state where spirituality and the natural world come on a common plane during the closing ceremony of the recently organised ‘Sa-Ladakh’, Asia’s highest altitude land art exhibition, exploring climate, culture and community, supported by the German Embassy.
While this show centered around the theme of water, Philipp Frank, who travels across the world with projection and video art, stresses that producing socially relevant art is something that has always driven him.
“We are living the consequences of climate change. It has become a major issue of our times, something that pushes me to talk about it through my art.”
“Born in a small village near Munich, the artist, has been creating art ever since he was a teenager — starting with graffiti, drawing, and then moving to projection mapping. He admits that the years spent as a street artist have had a deep impact on his artistic sensibilities.”
“It taught me to observe things minutely, experiment, and open to improvisation,” he tells IANS.
Considering projection involves extensive use of technology, it is only fair to ask where science ends and arts begin…
“Honestly, technology is just a vehicle, 10-15 years back, it would not have been possible to do what I am doing now. But that time, I was conveying my thoughts through other mediums.”
While he has travelled across the world with his art, this is his first visit to Ladakh.
“There are so many layers to the landscape here. For an artist, the contrasts that nature offers here open multiple possibilities to explore,” he says.
Sebastian Fuchs, Spokesperson of the German Embassy and also a DJ adds, “The past few years have witnessed an increase in people-to-people contact between the two countries. We were looking for a cultural project with sustainability at the centre to celebrate India’s G20 Presidency. Germany is a big contributor to sustainable development in India. When the idea of ‘Sa-Ladakh’ was presented, I was immediately impressed. There are many aspects to this place–it is a fragile ecosystem, and a lot of tourists come here, which is great but that also poses many challenges. It is always interesting to be associated with something that is just starting. Ladakh has a spiritual and emotional pull for many Indians and foreigners, and I hope we continue to be associated with it and bring in more German artists too.”
(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)
–IANS