Art in An Out-of-The-Way Place (2020)

Art in An Out-of-The-Way Place was a series of conversations between 13 cultural practitioners initiated and moderated by Jyoti Dhar that took place over Zoom during the early stages of the lockdown in 2020. The idea was to think through pressing questions and to broaden local conversations on art with those working in similar out-of-the-way places (a term coined by anthropologist Anna Tsing) and with whom we shared affinities. In the first session we asked Sharmini Pereira (Colombo), Saskia Fernando (Colombo) and Sharareh Bhajracharya (Kathmandu) the question: ‘What does this pandemic mean for the already state of institution building where you are?’ In the second session we asked artists Venuri Perera (Colombo), Jasmine Nilani Joseph (Jaffna) and Seher Shah (New Delhi) the question: ‘How do artists remain open to the current moment and continue to practice in meaningful ways?’ In the third session we asked Natasha Ginwala (Colombo), Mariah Lookman (Colombo) and Nada Raza (Dubai) the question: ‘What would we like to envisage for the future and how does this pandemic give us a chance to restructure things?’ Each session had resondents Shayari de Silva (Colombo), Menika van der Poorten (Colombo) and Zoe Butt (Ho Chi Minh City) respectively, to further the debate. The last session segued into a discussion on areas of overlap and collaboration.

Delete As Appropriate (2019)

“Delete As Appropriate” was a workshop on art criticism that took place in January 2019 in Hiriketiya, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. It was conceived and conducted by Jyoti Dhar, and was part of a literary project by Swiss curators Sandra Oehy and Mariam Fischer funded by the Swiss Arts Council. Ten cultural practitioners from around the island, including artists, photographers, curators and writers, were invited to participate in the workshop, looking at the relationship between art, language and life, through the close reading of leading contemporary critics and several poets from around the globe. Scholar Mariah Lookman and art critic Himali Singh Soin were invited to give presentations, and each unpacked the complexity of the visual and the verbal within certain South Asian artworks. “Delete As Appropriate” was Atelier MOND’s initial program hosted by Jesscia Fernando and Renato Kuemin.

City As Studio 3 by Sarai (2013)

The City as Studio project was organised during 2010-2013 to create contexts for high intensity inter-disciplinary processes at different locations in Delhi and at the Sarai space in CSDS. Sometimes these process(es) were rendered as an exhibition, at other times as a gathering, as a library, as a temporary archive or as an occasion for performances, conversations and debates. At still other times it took the form of a workshop, a temporary atelier, a media studio, a publication or an online platform. Jyoti Dhar was the rapporteur and editor of the publication that ensued.

City as Studio 2 by Sarai (2011–2012)

City as Studio 2 was the second edition of an interdisciplinary initiative by Raqs Media Collective, as part of The Sarai Programme at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies. The innovative nine month program included a six week residency period with a selected group of fellows, mentors and auxiliary members in New Delhi. This article, published on a blog for Art Dubai, goes some way in explaining the series of gatherings, discussions, excursions and exhibition that took place during the residency period. As Rapporteur and Editor my role included producing a publication reflective of this creative process. The resultant book City as Studio 2, a log of City as Studio Edition 02 (2011-2012), was designed by Amitabh Kumar and published by Sarai-CSDS, Delhi 2012. Jyoti Dhar was the rapporteur and editor of the publication that ensued.

KHOJ Critic-in-Residence (2011)

In Spring 2011, an inter-disciplinary residency called In Context II: public.art.ecology took place at Khoj Studios in New Delhi. Participating artists included Heather Acroyd & Dan Harvey, Navin Thomas, Pratik Sagar, and Brandon Ballengee. Over the course of six weeks, Jyoti spent time observing, interviewing and interacting with three artists and one artists’ collective exploring the intersections between art, science and ecology. As part of the process, she kept a regular blog, furnished an in-depth essay and moderated a talk on the subject at the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA).

Editor of ChinarTree.Com (2008–2010)

ChinarTree’s concept was based on the belief that Dubai was fast becoming a hotbed for regional and international contemporary art and was in need of more informed and critical discussion surrounding the spike in art interests in the region. As an online art forum focusing on local reviews, interviews and creating an interactive debate platform, ChinarTree became a valuable resource on regional art and was mentioned in the Financial Times (March 2009).

Selected stories:

‘Writing about Art’, Interview with Antonia Carver, Director of Art Dubai, May 2010

‘Combining Medicine and Art’, Interview with Fumio Nanjo, Director of the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, June 2009

‘It’s not you, It’s me’, Interview with Tirdad Zolghadr, Curator of the debut UAE Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, May 2009