Projects created at Farm Studio and Testimonials

Martha Diaz Adam (Dominican Republic)

Visual-Research about the Turbans in rural Rajasthan.

A study of the Rajasthani Turban, which is crafted piece of culture, that sits on their people every day, and every fold, every color, every texture or pattern has a meaning to who they are. In the Rajasthan region of India, The Turban called my attention as the Visual Artist-Anthropologist that I am, during my time as Artist in residency I conducted a participant observation research and visual documentation about the present stories and the preservation of the Turban from the perspective of the locals, while in the field at The Andore Village and its surroundings I interviewed and photographed locals every day, in order to have a deeper understanding of the Turban tradition in rural India. In the region, there is an extensive variety of the Turban, worn by the Rajasthani males and mostly the old men of the Villages, is not religiously tied but culturally only. Its color and style vary according to the: Village, Caste, sub-Region or headquarter, occupation and age. The preservation and the use of it is highly maintained by the elders in the Villages, passed down generation by generation, but is not commonly preserved by the young generation or inhabitants in the urban concentrated areas or cities who see it as an outdated tradition, except when it comes to calling the attention of the tourists. 

My personal statement about the Rajasthani Turban it is a crafted piece of clothing folded with the richness of the History and Heritage of its people, a symbol of an everyday culture, that radiates pride and empowerment not only to the males who wear it but to the people of Rajasthan. Its preservation is indeed a must, because of how it highlights within the other Indian sub-cultures, its uniqueness in the world and its diversity of styles within the region. The turban is more than a beautiful piece of clothing, but is who they are, and what they do every day, it is present in the field, in their home, in their temples, in their celebrations, in their grief, in their most common and special occasions, as in their history like in their present, and in the plans of their future every time they speak to their children and grandsons about it, hoping to pass down the colorful tradition.

Carmen Garaghon (UK)

My residency at Farm Studio had two parts as I felt it was important to deliver a project that had involved the community. I ran two artist book-making workshops, one with the women from the village and another with the children. Beautiful artist books can be created from simple materials and made in the home, their construction is very visual so it was possible to communicate the instructions without language. I choose familiar symbols around the village and made them into lino stamps. I demonstrated how to apply the ink and how to fold the paper into a book. I have left my book-making equpminet in Andore so hopefully the community will continue to make artist books. When I return to the UK I hope to collect some materials and examples of artist books to send to Andore to encourage book making as a method of artist expression and creativity within the village.

I also began new work which I want to extend but its roots to remain in Andore, Rajasthan. I made a doll from a Kurti which I brought 20 years ago in India. This work begins to explore the stories which fabric can tell and contributes to ideas of a doll’s multiple and complex significance as symbols, often intertwined with spirituality, ritual, communal and personal identities. Forming part of my research into how we construct meaning in our lives and navigate between the material and the immaterial, the visible and the invisible.

Estefania Valls Urquijo (Guatemala)  & Sofia Rubio (Mexico)

This mosaic mural speaks about the power and importance of woman in society. The roots represent them as the support for society, and the tree society it self. Without them life disappears. A simple wall that has been transformed from a constructional element to a statement for dialogue. A wall that will be a space for girls and woman to join and rejoice in their nature, their roll and beauty, a space to be proud to be a woman and join in community, equality and respect for each other.

Eva Machine (Poland)

During my stay in Andore, I focused on the traditional aspects of the social life of Indian women. This place is a truly unique one – embedded in nature and tradition, both of them reflected in the roles of Indian women within society. A small village, located on stony hills, away from the cultural centers of Radzastan, provided specific conditions and perspective to look at these topics. In India, patriarchal culture dominates, and the son is the one who is expected with a longing. This is related with the drive to continue the cult of the ancestors but also with inheritance. Women in India have now acquired the right of inheritance, nonetheless they still continue to follow the path of tradition. In my workshop I aimed at supporting them in building new attitudes towards tradition, in accordance with the applicable law. During the work, I also wanted to observe the relations women have in the village and strengthen their sense of solidarity. Through conversations and exercises, awaken them with the possibility of breaking economic attachment to men. As the part of the workshop, women (of all age – mature women, young women, girls) wondered what their properties are and how they could freely dispose of them. Each of them created a list of their belongings and appointed a potential successor to their goods.

Kendel C Bennett (US)

Fluxus Kendel Bennett’s project at Farm Studio in Andore was based in his position as a performance artist working as an Art Therapist, a practice in which psychotherapy meets creative expression. As a participant in the residency and a guest in Andore, Kendel was inspired by the genuine desire expressed by the local community to connect and communicate through friendship and cultural exchange. Kendel was also interested in how local ritual practices in Andore were profoundly linked to the natural environment while at the same time evoking transcendence through the spiritual plane. Allied with this dynamic, Kendel sought to reflect the indigenous beauty he saw in Andore back to the community through a conceptual mirror, communicating the idea that “anything can be art.” Kendel’s performance event took place at the local school in Andore where students were invited to participate in enacting two simplistic yet sophisticated fluxus scores, Alison Knowles’s Homage to each Red Thing (a performance where the students were invited to contribute any red object of their choice to create an ephemeral installation) and La Monte Young’s Poem for Chairs, Tables, Benches, Etc.(a time based action where students were directed to move metal tables across a floor thereby creating an improvised experience of sound and vision). These pieces engendered by Kendel and manifested by the personalities of the students enacted a playful activation center within the school, energised by laughter, attention and excitement. Kendel’s project offered participants an opportunity to experience themselves and each other in new ways and to interpret the intangible by contemplating the meaning of art by reflecting the communal beauty and spirit of the people of Andore.

Carissa Mosley (US)

To sing with the earth and run with the wind Upon arriving to the village of Andore, I was struck by the women, whom I felt had an ancient wisdom and connection with the rhythms of the earth that transcended their lack of education. There was a sparkle in their eyes from the tenacity in their bodies, the pride they took in their work, and the joy they found in their daily labors that intimidated, inspired and intrigued me. Living in Andore, I sought out opportunities to sing with them, dance with them and work with them. This led to a series of interviews in which I asked women about their roles, their work, and their spirituality. Based off what I found in the interviews and what I observed in daily life, I wrote a short story about the beauty and struggle in the lives of women here. Specifically I told the story of bold young woman (based on a girl I met) who works hard every day with all her tasks at home and loves and admires the women of her family and all the local traditions except one; the necessity to get married. She dreams of travel and independence. She organizes a moon ceremony with all the local village girls to ask them their dreams; they pray and sing and dance. I mostly used documentary footage but I also staged scenes for the film as necessary, blurring the lines between documentary and narrative. I shot with a Canon dslr as well as the Super 8 iPhone app. Life on the farm was gentle and beautiful. Every evening, sunsets painted the sky followed by glittering stars. Taking long walks around the dusty farm always sparked creative ideas for my project. Living with a community of diverse artists was wonderful and inspiring as was being so close to neighboring farmers. I quickly felt a connection with many of the farmers nearby and with local villagers when we went into town despite the language barrier. Vaga helped us immensely with translation, showing us around, and driving us to whatever we needed as necessary. He ensured we got a local experience and meet as many people and went to as many events and homes as possible. The people here are incredibly loving and welcoming and it is a very touching experience.