Since it was formed in 1989, Sahmat has brought together diverse artists, performers, and writers on a common programme of resistance against attacks on freedom of artistic expression and dissent. Today, as the idea of India is being revamped into a singular, homogenised nation, severed from its composite and diverse heritage, ICF celebrates plurality and building of political solidarity of cultural expression.
In this ten-part series, the Indian Cultural Forum will showcase Sahmat’s work over the years — in visual, theatrical, musical or written form.
Tribute to Gandhi
In 1994-1995, Sahmat a organised a yearlong series of events that invoked Gandhi’s quest for a secular India, a sovereign nation, and universal compassion. These activities, and others that followed, formed a context for reconsidering and re- evaluating Gandhi and the national movement.
Once Upon a Time There Lived a Man: a set of nine lectures commemorating Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary; and Gandhi Reconsidered are available to buy from sahmat.in.
Postcards for Gandhi
Gandhi famously used inexpensive postcards to communicate with vast numbers of people. In this spirit and in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of his birth, Sahmat invited hundreds of artists to create postcard-sized works about Gandhi’s relevance to contemporary India. The works contributed by artists were shown in exhibitions in six cities, all opening on October 2.
Selected originals of the Postcards for Gandhi are available to purchase from sahmat.in
