Creative Uses, Creative Spaces

The current times are the undisputed times of new forms of media. The pulse of the public can be felt through twitter, facebook, youtube and still newer forms of social media like WhatsApp and BBM. People are connected; more now, than ever. 

But, at the same time, our open spaces are fast disappearing. Beaches are reclaimed, playgrounds become buildings, and gardens turn to garbage dumps. At such times, physical meeting spaces for urban communities have all but disappeared. The French Cafes of Renaissance Paris, the Gowalia Tank of Pre-Independence India or the Tiananmen Square of China are becoming difficult to find. So while people are connected every minute, and public opinion matters like never before, a Renaissance becomes difficult with urban spaces disappearing.

In the field of performing arts, theatre in India has become an elite sphere. The audience, the performers and those behind-the-scenes mostly belong to middle and upper class backgrounds. Meanwhile, our policy direction is on the lines of FSI increases and high rise buildings in our cities, not recognising a need for spaces for the performing arts.

Theatre is not an urban phenomenon. Rural India has a rich heritage of folk performing arts and folk theatre. But with rapid urbanization, and a loss of spaces to perform these arts with a sufficient remuneration and respect that the performers deserve, these arts could meet a slow end. Urban places like Kalaghoda were conceived to convert the streets into stimulating influences for creative outputs of individuals with drama, music and the literary arts, but they too have been reduced to nothing but commercial avenues for pseudo-artists to cash in on the Kalaghoda brand name.

It is necessary that we as urban citizens realise that man is not a working machine, and humans are intrinsically artistic. Every human needs a space to release this artistic trait, to relax and unwind. Hence, the idea of community spaces where individuals could meet, perform and enjoy performances has to be incorporated in the policy discourse of urban planning. 

Also, the earlier idea of physical spaces for a confluence of ideas, a starting point of revolutions reinforces the need for urban spaces where another creative revolution may be born.

Meanwhile, the optimist in me waits for people to connect and protest the loss of spaces to unleash creativity..