In Mumbai, 75 artists give a creative shade to India’s past, future

People’s Freedom 75 touches upon a range of themes, from the rise of fascism to anti-caste activism to gender equality.

Renowned activist Dr Bharat Patankar, who is the convenor of People’s Freedom 75, said, “The idea of the event is to project the reality that those who struggled for freedom were ultimately workers, farmers, labourers, women, Dalits, and other downtrodden castes. They were not only dreaming of the end of the British era but also the end of the caste system and class exploitation. They were dreaming of the creation of a new society. Ending British rule was only the first step towards their goal. The remaining dream of liberating humanity is not yet complete.”

Patankar said that the celebration of India’s independence should not be just political or social, but also through art and culture. “Even the movement that took place before 1947 was not just political,” he said.

Artist Shrujana Niranjani Shridhar’s drawing, made for anti-caste publication house Mavelinadu, shows leaders, artists, and visionaries such as Dr B R Ambedkar, Kadubai Kharat, and Jyotiba Phule in a celebratory procession. Behind them, through the gate of the Sanchi Stupa, is a river of humanity.

Artist Yogesh Barve who is on the organising committee said that some works have been made on-site, such as Anupam Roy’s banner-like piece which uses a jumble of protest gestures, symbols, and limbs to convey a sense of revolution and change.

“The work makes clear what the exhibition is all about,” Barve said.

He also drew attention to the works of young artists such as Rohit Varekar. Through a series of sculptures, Varekar highlights the impact that development and climate change have had on the environment in his hometown Sawantwadi in Maharashtra.

On August 12, the popular Yalgaar Sanskrutik Manch will give a cultural performance on behalf of People’s Freedom 75 at Shivaji Mandir in Dadar. Pratik Modi of the organising committee said, “The occasion of 75 years of independence is a great opportunity to take a critical look at the past and an imaginative look at the future.”