I’ve been obsessed lately with political posters. Particularly artwork depicting struggles of the Desi diaspora. So obsessed that I created Mutinous Mindstate on tumblr to curate the various important images and artwork I’ve come across over the years. In fact, it was DJ Rekha that first responded to my tweet asking for Desi political art with an image of PardonMyHIndi designed event poster for Basement Bhangra Against Bush in 2004.
Along very similar vein, DJ Rekha is also involved with an art show that premiered in New York City this month at 92YTribeca. The Soho Road to Punjab is an exhibit inspired by bhangra music and has exhibited overseas in the UK over the past few years. This NYC-angled exhibit, title Five Rivers to Five Boroughs, is the first time the exhibit will be shown in the U.S.
The exhibit will showcase behind-the-scenes photography, album sleeves, promotional art, and rare prints from South Asian media. The exhibit also highlights individuals who have helped the Bhangra scene progress.
The exhibit’s story refers to the impact New York has had on the spread of Bhangra. Brooklyn-based DJ Rekha, a musician and curator, named Ambassador of Bhangra by the New York Times, shares her personal collection of material for the New York version of this project. [facebook]
If you are in NYC, I highly recommend stopping by the exhibit and if you are not in NYC, the flickr page has some great photos from it. The website for Soho Road to Punjab also has a fantastic online gallery. The show should be touring around the country – so keep an eye and ear open.
As for political art of the Desi diaspora, check out the site and tell me what you think. And if you have any, scan it and send it over. If it fits the theme, I’ll gladly post it at Mutinous Mindstate!
Speaking of Bhangra vs Bush, while I still wish that the USSC Bush v Gore verdict had gone in Gore’s favor (as I still think that the country and the planet needed Al Gore‘s pro-environmental leadership at that critical juncture), George W. Bush proved to be the most pro-India US President through his time. The bilateral relationship between the two countries, the world’s two largest democracies, should naturally have been one of two “natural” allies, but it had unduly been mostly icy until Bush came along. He deserves credit for turning things around and setting the relationship on a course for significant thawing and warming.
On that note – sex trafficking in India through Mumbai has been a huge problem and the NGOs had little attention from the outside world. But when Bush came into power, because of his moral politicking, things like sex trafficking mattered to him when providing foreign aid and suddenly these NGOs in India, that were being ignored by the Indian government were suddenly getting funding. It 1. made me realize the extent of American influence (I mean, I knew in the abstract, but not really) and 2. not everything that came out of Bush was shit.
How about the magnificent Humble The Poet track Imagine 2009