VADFEST HAD NO STATE INTERFERENCE AT ALL: REKHA RODWITTIYA

"People who are raising questions on state sponsorship never raise questions on industrial houses like Tata, Birla or Ambani who are supporting the art. Nobody see which political party they support because you accept it as a part of philanthropy that the society must have and if it doesn’t have that, you are going to have a soulless society."

Gujrat was buzzing throughout this January with many cultural events including a four day extravaganza, Vadfest in Baroda. Some artists were protesting against the mega show alleging that the state government has undermined the autonomy of the art school. One of the most acclaimed artists Rekha Rodwittiya was in Baroda then and participated in Vadfest. On January 29, she was in New Delhi for India Art fair where she gave an exclusive interview to Sunil Kumar on the whole controversy.

Keeping in mind what had happened in the past, do you think that VadFest is a ploy to control over art community by right wing and Modi’s thanks giving event to Baroda for supporting him?

Well, sometime we need to separate ourselves from the issues those are politically dangerous. But I would like to say that maybe it was Modi thanking for the city of Baroda for supporting him and therefore saying that let me give to the city something that is a small gift of gratitude, that’s ok, what is problem with that. I don’t see any ploy to control over artist community by right wing.

Then, why some artists pulled their names back from VadFest?, Is there any politics?

The artists, who pulled their names back from VadFest, have right to protest and they done it. Everybody has right to protest in this country. I must say that for whatever reasons, the faculty of fine arts has been in the state of disrepair for so many years. Now, there is a complete makeover and I am happy for that.

But according to the protesters, for VadFest, FFA has compromised the autonomy of the institution and right of the freedom of expression with the right wing and the state authority?   

See, I choose to support and participate in Vadfest because I made my inquiries when I got my letter of invitation. I spoke to the people and said them what my concerns were. After inquiries, I found that VadFest had no state interference at all. That is my answer to your question, to which the artists were called off. But, my support to VadFest doesn’t mean that I don’t keep the space for myself and descents for critique, resistance or protest against any bad practice, what is my constitutional right.

Isn’t it like with the help of VadFest, the state government and right wing politics is trying to blur past and present problems?

                                                        

No, rather I would like to say that VadFest was the space of great endeavor for Baroda and it brought to the city a kind of carnival atmosphere. I see it as a cultural event, not in the sense of politically loaded. The government is recognizing Baroda as a cultural space. So I would look Vadfest this way that there was treat, street food, craft, concerts and many satellite exhibitions around the main VadFest. The whole city was buzzing and what is wrong with that.

Don’t have you any objection on state sponsorship for Vadfest?

As far as art is concerned, my answer is no. People who are raising questions on state sponsorship never raise questions on industrial houses like Tata, Birla or Ambani who are supporting the art. Nobody see which political party they support because you accept it as a part of philanthropy that the society must have and if it doesn’t have that, you are going to have a soulless society. But when the art in VadFest is concerned, let me also say that not all the art was that great. Unfortunately, there is not always the space for only great art. As you also get the things that don’t meet to your taste and political-cultural beliefs but that’s the way life is.