Detritus by Artsforward impels thought on waste and want

Detritus by Paramita Saha
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

It is no secret we all succumb to the call of consumerism more often than we should and are saddled with far more than we need or know what to do with. As a result, the copious amounts of waste we generate end up on overflowing landfills, weighing down the planet with what could have been avoided.

Detritus by Bengaluru-based Artsforward is a multi-form performance that highlights the implications of “living in a world that is overburdened by what we consume and discard.”

Curated by Paramita Saha, a dancer, performer and art manager, Detritus combines design, choreography, recorded music, movement and physical expression, in a bid to promote “a lightness of being”.

Paramita founded Artsforward in 2010, with the intent to, “design strategic encounters between businesses and artistes to see how we come together as a community in the art management space.”

“Everything we do in the creative space has to be executed with great responsibility as both the human and non-human environment is being altered at such an accelerated rate, we cannot keep up. We’ve set off a number of changes with the way we use natural resources and now waste is being churned out in a manner which is beyond our control,” she says.

According to Paramita, it is the not-so-privileged section of society who bear the brunt of these harsh changes. She admits that often the ease of modern life make us complacent and complicit. “For instance, plastic is so convenient, cheap and accessible to all, that we stop asking difficult questions about its production and disposal.”

“However, people in the creative sector can engage and inspire people to make the change. We have a gift and with great gifts come great responsibility. My work aims to inspire people to engage with crises in the environmental space,” says Paramita, adding that the idea for Detritus was born from that need.

The 45-minute performance is followed by an audience interaction which usually lasts for 20 to 25 minutes. “There is a lot of live engagement throughout the performance which does not take place on a stage, but in a flat space so the audience and performers are on the same level. It is presented in a way so the audience is a part of what unfolds.”

Paramita says at some venues, the time spent on discussing the piece was longer than the performance itself. “People have so many questions and we want this work to be the start of many conversations; people should be able to see this work as a way to approach their own patterns and lifestyle.”

“Overall, it is an immersive experience. The show will start on time as everybody will enter the space together — performers and audience alike,” she says, adding that in keeping with their mission, “there are no announcements or handouts; people walk into a process that is immersive and intimate at the same time.”

Produced by Artsforward, Detritus was choreographed by Surjit Nongmeikapam and Prashant More, with Diya Naidu as dramaturg. Karshini Nair wrote the music and the costumes were crafted by The Burlap People.

Over the last year, Detritus has been performed around 16 times in Pune, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.

Detritus will open at the Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan in Bengaluru October 6, 7pm. Ticket details are on Artsforward’s insta handle @thestillpt