Urmila Shastry

Intervention in Cubbon Park, Bangalore - For 4 weeks, a group of us worked with 6 foreign artists, creating interventions and performing in public spaces with the theme 'Fear and Gender'. In Cubbon park, which is a male dominated space, we involved people in braiding the space with strips of cloth representing duppatas and then asked people to tie a bangle and a 'ghungru' (bells used in anklets) in any spot that they have felt fear. We tried to feminise the space and provoke interaction between people who usually do not.

Intervention at ShivajiNagar bus stop, Bangalore - For 4 weeks, a group of us worked with 6 foreign artists, creating interventions and performing in public spaces with the theme 'Fear and Gender'. At Shivaji bus stop we formulated a series of small events or interactions using elements of the space and involving people within the space. The performance was meant to break notions of gender related fear and to create a sense of fearlessness and liberation for the performer.

Intervention at Dickinson Road and ShivajiNagar, Bangalore - For 4 weeks, a group of us worked with 6 foreign artists, creating interventions and performing in public spaces with the theme 'Fear and Gender'. ShivajiNagar has a wide cross-section of people and Dickinson road is a red-light area. We asked men in these spaces to draw a women they would respect and explain why and conversely a woman they would not respect and why. The act of drawing got them more involved in the details of what they were expressing.

Off Limits - For 4 weeks, a group of us worked with 6 foreign artists, creating interventions and performing in public spaces with the theme 'Fear and Gender'. This picture was part of a simultaneous project with Bangalore based photographer Vinayak Das. For the 'Off limits' project we went into areas that are usually off-limits to women and captured the reactions to us being there.

Exhibition at 1 Shanti Road, Bangalore - For 4 weeks, a group of us worked with 6 foreign artists, creating interventions and performing in public spaces with the theme 'Fear and Gender'. As a culmination of our workshop with the artists we set up an exhibition of our work and of the reactions and insights we had got during the course of the project.

Exhibition at 1 Shanti Road - For 4 weeks, a group of us worked with 6 foreign artists, creating interventions and performing in public spaces with the theme 'Fear and Gender'. As a culmination of our workshop with the artists we set up an exhibition of our work and of the reactions and insights we had got during the course of the project.

Promotional flyer for the 'Say I Am' performative walk - During the course, a political group called the Sri Rama Sene attacked women in a pub in Mangalore on the pretext that they were degrading Indian culture by being 'westernized'. As a response we attempted to induce the spirit of freedom, choice and non-violence by organizing a performative walk in the heart of Bangalore. People from all spheres were invited to join. "I am an Indian, this is my culture." was the adopted slogan worn in the form of tags or banners. Over a 100 people attended.

The 'Say I Am' performative walk - During the course, a political group called the Sri Rama Sene attacked women in a pub in Mangalore on the pretext that they were degrading Indian culture by being 'westernized'. As a response we attempted to induce the spirit of freedom, choice and non-violence by organizing a performative walk in the heart of Bangalore. People from all spheres were invited to join. "I am an Indian, this is my culture." was the adopted slogan worn in the form of tags or banners. Over a 100 people attended.

Revisiting "Say I Am" as a workshop with domestic workers - To take the spirit of the walk forward, we decided to work with the domestic worker community as they are the least represented by law to empower their voice. By changing yourself you can change your circumstances. For two weeks, through a series of fun exercises and activities we tried to build self-confidence and empower the women. We ended the project by helping them initiate similar activities in their communities to inspire others as well.

Revisiting "Say I Am" as a workshop - To take the spirit of the walk forward, we decided to work with the domestic worker community as they are the least represented by law to empower their voice. By changing yourself you can change your circumstances. For two weeks, through a series of fun exercises and activities we tried to build self-confidence and empower the women. We ended the project by helping them initiate similar activities in their communities to inspire others as well.

Log Book - Pages from my personal process documentation.

Log book - Pages from my personal process documentation.