Arts House: ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala Film Program by Vishal Kumaraswamy
Presented with Arts House, enjoy a selection of films from their ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala exhibition, in a free, film program at Fed Square.
ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala (‘from the depths of one’s being’), curated by Vishal Kumaraswamy, brings together Australian and international artists to examine histories of caste, migration, gender and sexuality through contemporary expression.
Unfolding across the entirety of Arts House during Dalit History Month, ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala is a multi-format activation, featuring an exhibition, talks, screenings, communal meals and curator and accessible tours.
ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala pulls the curtains back to reveal the churning of the institution’s insides as the program unfolds and leaves traces as divergent knowledge systems inhabit the spaces.
Dictionary Mohan by MK Abhilash, 27m 13s (Kannada with English subtitles)
Dictionary Mohan is a Kannada absurd drama. Mohan writes dictionaries. He needs only a week to learn a new language. One afternoon, he develops a bad stomach ache. He consults a doctor.
KGB (Kadamba Geleyara Balaga) by Mahisha Neelavarana, 28m 38s (Kannada with English subtitles)
So much is at stake for the Kadamba Geleyara Balaga (a.k.a the Ganesha club of Sulthanpalya) this year! The three 20-year old founding members need to impress their local Insta influencer while showing the rich colony boys the proverbial middle finger. Meanwhile there’s a whole locality of uncles and aunties to be pleaded with to fund their venture to set up a Bullet Ganesha. However, the trio’s biggest trouble might be the one their friendship will face.
Effigy for a Black Soldier and Protector of the Children by Maya Gurung-Russell Campbell 10m 31s (minimal dialogue, song in English, no subtitles)
Produced collaboratively with sound artist Cil, sitarist Tommy Khosla and multi-instrumentalist Buster Woodruff-Bryant, the audio-visual pieces Effigy for a Black Soldier and Protector of the Children sonically respond to both Eastern and Western folk tradition. Two works presented together as a double bill
Effigy for a Black Soldier uses a reworking of the folk song Wayfaring Stranger as a storytelling device to explore memories of the artist’s estranged father, who served in the British Army and had a strong Christian faith. This work suggests themes of migration, longing for home and the lingering phantom of the British Empire on the diaspora.
Protector of the Children alludes to the Nepali folklore figure of the Lahkey, who is said to be a man-eating demon who protects children and townspeople, dwelling deep in the forests of Nepal. The work draws from the artist’s early encounter with the Lahkey mask when placed into her grandmother’s care at the age of four. The video-performance was filmed during the Artist’s 2022 residency at Space A in Kathmandu, Nepal and is a deeply personal reflection on intergenerational memory.
For more information: https://www.artshouse.com.au/events/odalala/
About Vishal Kumaraswamy
Vishal Kumaraswamy is an artist-curator working across text, film, sound, performance and computational arts. His practice draws from his Dalit heritage to investigate a range of critical concerns around caste, race and technology. His works have been shown at the Venice Biennale’s Research Pavilion, ARKO Art & Tech Festival, SITE Gallery Sheffield, Contemporary Calgary, HKW Berlin and the Rencontres d’Arles 2023.
Vishal has been an artist in residence with the US Consulate General Mumbai, Contemporary Calgary in Alberta, SAVAC Toronto, Vital Capacities videoclub UK, Onassis AiR and The Singapore Art Museum. Vishal is the founder of the international artist collective; Now You Have Authority through which he has curated exhibitions, residencies, and delivered workshops at the Tate Modern’s Tate Exchange Programme, Tanzfest Aarau and Sluice Biennial. Vishal lives & works in Bengaluru, India.