Introducing KIPAF

PERFORMERS iNDEPENDENT (Pi) was an independent artists' collective, experimenting and exploring the traditional, modernist and contemporary spaces in the cultural paradigm. The Kolkata International Performance Art Festival was initiated by Pi in 2012 to annually open up the city of Kolkata to diverse traditions of performance, performitivty and interventions. Since then Pi has got fragmented but KIPAF has taken deeper roots.

The festival aims to be a platform for dialogue between site, art, politics and culture. KIPAF acknowledges the nascent nature of Performance Art in India, and will always play a role in the pedagogy of performance art.
The festival is be held between 23rd-26th January every year.

Tuesday 26 January 2016

DAY 5 Schedule





A formal meet at Ganges art gallery; the day after the 4 day festival 
with collective Pi, the big friend circle of KIPAF and the people of Kolkata.... 
See you there - Open invitation - come one come all
Anirban and Srinia will present some memories of KIPAF.

Contact person - Chimuk - 09836352770 , Rahul-08420402968 & Tapati - 09433909278


Monday 25 January 2016

26th JANUARY | DAY 4 KIPAF 16 | SHARING PLANS




TENTIVE TIMING AND SITE PLANNING FOR KIPAF DAY 4

11:00AM-2:00PM: PATHURIA GHATA GHOSH BARI
2:00PM-3:00PM : LUNCH
3:00PM-7:00PM : NIMTALA GHAT - ROAD BY THE RIVER - BAGHBAZAR GHAT

Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari
  1. Arpita Singha Lopa (Bangladesh)
  2.  Ardiana Disman (Germany)
  3.  Khandakar Ohida and Pinto (India)
  4.  Chhobi zulfiqure( Bangladesh)
  5. Bhisaji Gadekar.(India)
  6. Pramod Sahu (India)
  7. Vidisha Saini (India) & Alex Yudzon (USA)


Barabazar Ghat
  1. Janet anne Meane (Australia) -
  2.  Monoronjon (India)- Barabazar Ghat
  3. James Needham-Walker (Australia) - Baghbazar Ghat
  4. Shubho Saha (Bangladesh) – Bagbazar Ghat
  5. Road  in Between Two Ghats
  6. Ali Asgar (Bangladesh) –

 Nimtala Ghat
  1. Sumona Akhtar (Bangladesh)
  2. Chi Muk , Rahul Bhattacharya (India)





Sunday 24 January 2016

25th JANUARY | DAY 3 KIPAF 16 | SHARING PLANS




TENTIVE TIMING AND SITE PLANNING FOR KIPAF DAY 3

11:00AM-2:00PM: PATHURIA GHATA GHOSH BARI
2:00PM-3:00PM : LUNCH
3:00PM-7:30PM : BARAZAR STATION TO MAJERHAT STATION TO EDEN GARDEN
 TO BAGBAR GHAT & AHIRITOLA

PATHURIA GHATA GHOSH BARI

 AMJAD AKASH ( BANGLADESH)
 CHHOBI ZULFIQURE( BANGLADESH)
 CHITRA GOPI(INDIA)
SUMAN MAJUMDAR(KIPAF)
USHNISH MUKHERJEE (INDIA)
SAM FORD (U K) & ELLIE JOHNSON-BULLOCK (UK)
INDER SALIM(INDIA)
ARDIANA DISMAN (GERMANY)
VIDISHA SAINI (INDIA) &ALEX YUDZON (USA) 
POLASH CHOWDHURI (BANGLADESH)

FROM PATHURIA GHATA GHOSH BARI TO BARABAZAR RAILWAY STATION  DURATION WORK MONICA NANJUNDA(INDIA)

JEWEL A ROB (BANGLADESH)- OUTSIDE BARABAZAR STATION

BARABAZAR TO MAJERHATHAT STATION(30MIN HALT) TO EDEN GARDEN(30MIN) TO BAGBAZAR

PRIYANKA GOVIL(INDIA)
VARSHA A BHIDE (INDIA)
SRIDHAR GANGOOLY(INDIA)
SHARKER NASRIN TOONTOON(BANGLADESH)
DIMPLE B SHAH (INDIA)

4.30PM -9.30 PM  - ATTENTION TIME - 8.30 PM ONWARDS

A DURATION WORK BY  MADHAVI GORE (INDIA) & ROMAIN LOUSTAU (FRAMCE) AT AHIRITOLA GHAT




Saturday 23 January 2016

SANTHOSH KUMAR SAKHINALA'S NOTE | KIPAF DAY 1


KIPAF 16 | DAY 2 | SCHEDULE


 TENTIVE TIMING AND SITE PLANNING FOR KIPAF DAY 2

11:00AM-2:00PM: PATHURIA GHATA GHOSH BARI
2:00PM-3:00PM : LUNCH
3:00PM-7:30PM : COMPANY BAGAN AND HEDUA PARK

PATHURIA GHATA GHOSH BARI


1.                   Sarojini Lewis (Netherlands).
2.                   Amruta Mapuskar (India)
3.                   Sumana Akter (Bangladesh)
4.                   Anupam Saikia(India)
5.                   Vidisha Saini (India) & Alex Yudzon (USA)


COMPANY BAGAN PARK

6.                   Sam Ford (U K) & Ellie Johnson-Bullock (UK)
7.                   James Needham-Walker (Australia)
8.                   Atish Saha (Bangladesh)
9.                   Ali Asgar (Bangladesh) – road  in between Company Bagan and Hedua
10.               Haryo Hutomo and Sakina (Indonesia)



HEDUA PARK

11.               James Needham-Walker (Australia)
12.               Ashim Halder 'Sagor''(Bangladesh)
13.               Ferial Afiff (Indonesia)








Friday 22 January 2016

23RD JANUARY | DAY 2 KIPAF 16 | SHARING PLANS





THIS YEAR KIPAF IS KEEN TO EXPLORE THE GHATS AND GOLIS OF NORTH KOLKATA . THE 1ST DAY OF KIPAF 16 IS DEDICATED TO VISITING THE SITES OF PERFORMANCE FOR OUR COMING DAYS. 

WE ARE MEETING TOMORROW MORNING AT HEDUA, IN FRONT OF BETHUNE COLLEGE. IT IS OUR WELCOME MEETING WITH OUR ARTISTS AND VOLUNTEERS. 

THEN WE BEGIN OUR KIPAF PERFORMATIVE WALK, FROM HEDUA TO PATHURIAGHATA GHOSHBARI. THERE WE WILL HAVE LUNCH AND SEE THE SITE.

THEN WE MOVE TO BAGHBAZAR STATION TO BOARD THE CHOKRO RAIL TO MAJHERHAT. THESE WE HAVE A SESSION OF MEETING , GATHERING AND IMPROVISATION. 

WE GO BACK TO BAGHBAZAR AND HAVE DINNER BY THE GHAT. 

FOR TIME DETAILS PLEASE SEE http://ikipaf.blogspot.in/2016/01/final-schedule-kipaf-16.html

CONTACT NUMBERS 
-Abhijit Konar  -  9836879746
- Tapati +91 9433909278, +91 8130675328
- Rahul +91 8420402968
- Chi Muk +91 9836352770

Thursday 21 January 2016

2 FESTIVALS | THERE IS NO ORIGINAL




Recently Performers independent has faced accusations of illegality and of misleading people. This has (sadly) come from certain members of the group itself , spread and propagated by others furthering their vested interests. The Kolkata International  Performance Art Festival was initiated about 5 years ago to build an independent discursive platform for performance art .We have had 3 very successful editions of KIPAF , many people wanted to cash in. Then, a NGO dealing with culture called Banglanatok.Com approached us through one of their organisation Art Room.. they wanted to sponsor KIPAF, tthey wanted to give 1.5 lac rupees as sponsorship , and become become the title sponsors of KIPAF. But for us KIPAF was always initiated by Pi and presented by everyone. It is one of the very few independent large scale art festival in South Asia and needs to be protected from global capital. Nearly half the group wanted to accept the sponsorship, they hijacked the email account , began a series of vengeful personal attacks and struck a deal with Art Room. But more than half of the founding members were against it, and their personal attacks helped us to develop a solidarity. We decided that as artists we will not take legal means, issue a 'show cause', or get a 'stay order'. By then we realised that in this process KIPAF had already died, its body was already sold as a relic, what we are left fighting for is the spirit.


So we decided to continue organising our festival like it is always organised, it has been a challenge because emotionally we are extremely hurt, KIPAF has been supported by so many people who have who have put in passion, time energy money, travelled long distances and made KIPAF possible through these years.



There are certain points we would like to make clear at this point.  At the end of this note please find the scanned images of our registration document.




  • Performers independent in a registered organisation According to the law of the land no one can make major changes in the governing body with out 3/4th majority. The Secretary, a joint Secretary, the vice president, the signatory witness, and and two other founding members are against KIPAF being sponsored, the registered members of Pi are only 10, one can easily make out how many are in favour of the sponsored KIPAF. 
  • THIEVES SHOUT LOUDEST |  They have done an illegal act by accepting sponsorship money for KIPAF without the boards consent, and then they went on to re constitute the board, (for which they must have forged our signatures). We decided to let them be, they must be badly needing the money. If they wanted to do a sponsored festival let them. We will go ahead and continue doing KIPAF as always (at least for 2-3 more years). But they have made public allegations against us of doing an illegal KIPAF. It makes us laugh and cry at the same time. 
  • Why would performance artists take recourse to obsolete laws and government departments to establish a claim of 'originality and authenticity. Why are they doing KIPAF in the first place? Is this 'authenticity' being demanded by its new sponsors. the old connections between capitalism and authorship?
  • All These have ensured that for us doing KIPAF this year is an act of activism. The edge of Praxis gets pushed. 




















Monday 18 January 2016

KIPAF 16 : FINAL LIST OF PARTICIPATING ARTISTS






             THIS IS THE COMBINED LIST OF ARTISTS PARTICIPATING IN THE INVITED AND OPEN SESSIONS
Performers independent's basic concern is to work out the formal, circumstantial, performative aspects of our everyday practices of hospitality. We invite you to occupy the ghats and galis of the older part of Kolkata, popularly known as the ‘north’. Keeping this in mind, the thematic focus for KIPAF 2016 is 
WHY KILL A MOCKING ART 

1.     A k u z u r u (Trinidad & Tobago)
2.     Alex Yudzon (USA)
3.     Ali Asgar (Bangladesh)
4.     Ashim Halder 'Sagor''(Bangladesh)
5.     Atish Saha (Bangladesh)
6.     Dimple B Shah (India)
7.     Ferial Afiff (Indonesia)
8.     Inder Salim (India)
9.     James Needham-Walker (Australia)
10.   Jewel A Rob (Bangladesh)
11.   Madhavi Gore (India)
12.   Mohamad Haryo Hutomo (Indonesia)
13.    Sakinah Alatas (Indonesia)
14.   Monica Nanjunda (India)
15.   Murari Jha(India)
16.   Polash Chowdhury(Bangladesh)
17.   Pramod Sahu (India)
18.   Priyanka Govil (India)
19.   Raghu A Wodeyar (India)
20.   Ranjana Nagaraja (India)
21.   Ritesh Maharjan (Nepal)
22.   Rohen S Dumbre (India)
23.   Sarojini Lewis (Netherlands)
24.   Sharker Nasrin Toontoon(Bangladesh)
25.   Shubho O Saha (Bangladesh)
26.   Smitha Cariappa (India)
27.   Sridhar Gangolli (India)
28.   Srinia Chowdhury (India)
29.   Sumana Akter (Bangladesh)
30.   Varsha Bhide (India)
31.   Vidisha Fadescha (India)
32.   Amjad Akash ( Bangladesh)
33.   Bhisaji Gadekar (India)
34.   Anupam Saikia(India)
35.   Chitra Gopi(India)
36.   Kehkasha Sabah (Bangladesh)
37.   Murari Shajil (India)
38.   Romain Loustau (France)
39.   Laisvie Andrea (Colombia)
40.   Arpita Singha Lopa (Bangladesh)
41. Sam Ford (U K)
42. Amruta Mapuskar (India)
43.   Ellie Johnson-Bullock (UK)
 44. Chhobi zulfiqure( Bangladesh)
 45 .Ardiana Disman (Germany)

  46. Janet anne Meane (Australia)

                                                                      -----------------------------------------
 EACH DAY'S PERFORMANCE SLOTS WILL BE SHARED A DAY IN ADVANCE 
ARTISTS COMING IN FOR THE OPEN SECTION ARE REQUESTED TO MAIL KIPAF.CURATOR@GMAIL.COM FOR COORDINATION  

  

Final Schedule - KIPAF 16



PLEASE NOTE THE TENTATIVE AND FINAL SCHEDULE FOR KIPAF2016

* all venues are in  bold italics
* please find key addresses and contact numbers below 


 23rd January: Meeting: Hedua Park.   

11 am
                         Address the artists from the part of organizers. Introduction - Performance  
                         Walk -Initiated by KIPAF group
2pm            
                          Lunch:      Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari.
                         Walk to Bara Bazar rail Station. Ganga Ghat. Starts 3 pm.
                         Train from Bara Bazaar Station (Airport- Majherhat. 3:48 pm.)
                         Get down at Majherhat Station. Performance initiated by KIPAF group.
                         Catching back train (Airport- Majher Hat. 7;30 pm.)  Get down at
                         Shobhabazar station- walk to Bagbazar ?
8 pm.
                         Dinner: Bagbazaar
                        

24th January: Meeting: Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari:    

11 am.           
                        Open session:  Visit to indoor space – / invited artists  
                        who are interested.  Organizers/ volunteers to assist.
2 pm .
                         Lunch:        Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari
3.30 pm.
                         Kompany Bagan
                        Curated /invited artist’s performance:
 5. pm
                         Tea
                5.30 pm
                                        Street Explorations – Curated /invited artist’s performance

                     
 25th January: Meeting: Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari

11 am.
                        Open session
2.pm
                        Lunch:        Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari

 3 pm              Walk to Bara Bazar Rail Station via Ganga Ghat

 3:48 pm
                         Train from Bara Bazaar Station (Airport- Majherhat)
                         Get down at Majherhat Station.
                         Curated /invited artist’s performance in the train and station.
                         

26th January:    Meeting at Indoor venue: Shyambazar

11 am.
                       Curated/invited artist’s performance
2 pm
                         Lunch:        Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari
3 pm.
                         Walk to Bara Bazar Rail Station via Ganga Ghat
                         Walk and work through Ganga ghat and market.
6.30 pm
                         Open session: Nimtala Ghat
9 pm
                          Dinner:   Nimtala Ghat
                         

27th January:   Public Meeting  - Ganges Art.
                          Presenting our past discussing our future 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

*
Shyambazar indoor venue - 195 A Raja Dinendra Street , Kolkata 700004
Pathuriaghata Ghosh Bari -46 Pathuriagata Street Kolkata
MakersLoft -22, Ballygunge Park Rd, Ballygunge Park, Ballygunge, Kolkata, West Bengal 700019

* Program coordination contact  - Abhijit Konar  - ðŸ“± 9836979746