An intended Concept note (in process) for April work shop on ‘Art in/and Alternative Spaces’ (physical Virtual and Intellectual)

It has been a cliché to state the ‘the alternative always exists in the context of the mainstream’. If one enters alternative through this premise, there is a chance to lapse in to believing that the ‘alternative’ cannot define it self. There is a post-Marxist acknowledgement of hierarchy between the mainstream and the alternative and the saga/lament of constant appropriation. However there is also a celebration of subversion and resistance that have been driving critical theory. In the era of ‘late capitalism’ when all over Euro America art spaces historically considered to be alternative are shutting down due to escalating financial over heads and the drying up of traditional funding re-sources, and as the lament for the alternative cultures which are declared ‘appropriated’ begin to register... the position of the third word suddenly begins to appear to be a position of the privileged...a position, which can yet allow for learning of lessons and restructuring of institutional objectives.

KHOJ began in 1997 as an Artist lead initiative giving an annual workshop platform to Indian and international artists. Though the decades, KHOJ has emerged as a platform which celebrates the ‘process of art production rather than the object hood of Art. If the ‘mainstream’ in the context of visual arts is defined/occupied by the gallery space and its celebration of the Art object; the ‘workshop’ as a model is ‘naturally’ resistant to it, and this resistance has been enriched with the ‘learning by exchange’ concept metaphor which over the years has become integral to the KHOJ motto. At a time when the conception of art and ideas in India was split between the ‘indigenous’ and the ‘western’ and possibilities defining/redefining possibilities of artistic practice dominated by euro-american frameworks, Since its inception, its direction has been towards the empowerment of so called third world artists and their cross cultural bonding outside racial biases and for an exchange of flow of information along alternative lines.

Over the last three years the core programming at Khoj has emerged as a conscious theme based curatorial practice. The 2004 (Aug Sep) residency on Art and Environment has been pivotal in the programming of the KHOJ residencies. Since then KHOJ has hosted theme based residencies on Performance Art, Public Art, Photography, Sound Art, and our current residency is curated towards revisiting Performance Art .If one looks at the thematic structure of KHOJ’s programming there is a definitive move towards alternative media and self consciously promoting mediums and approaches that have been considered peripheral in the mainstream narratives on Contemporary Indian Art and those which do not find space inside mainstream curatorial practices.

Since 2004 October, KHOJ has had an ongoing Community Arts project in its efforts towards strengthening its relationship with its neighbors in Khirkee village. Trough a number of young artists KHOJ initiated series of art projects in an attempt to build up a “meaningful relationship”. Over the last year and a half Khoj’s ‘community art project’ has endeavored towards the actual shaping of information and ideas, images and feelings, for and with a known audience..

It is transparent that over the years KHOJ’s engagement with the concept metaphor ‘alternative’ has primarily been through viewing ‘alternative’ as the other of mainstream, and has been at odds to be define the ‘self’ of the alternative spaces and alternative practices. This practice of privileging praxis, which is left out by the mainstream, is effective but (nonetheless) retroactive. We would like to engage with other understandings of ‘alternative’ (and maybe subversive) spaces and develop a proactive take on the concept and practice of building and engaging with alternative spaces.

In an attempt to enrich the understanding of ‘alternative spaces’ and to be broaden horizons about the possibilities of such spaces; also keeping in focus our recent efforts towards building communities online using open source technology and KHOJ’s long term pedagogical structure of learning by exchange, we intend to host a ...day workshop on the ...and..... of April around the theme of ‘Art in/and Alternative Spaces’ (physical Virtual and Intellectual).