Bringing together a diverse range of practices and perspectives from artists across the country, the Sumansa Foundation will present Art Unfettered, a two-day showcase on April 12 and 13 in Chennai.

In its second year, musician, author and activist TM Krishna, who helms the foundation, traces their journey, and the decision to begin the Grants Project which invites applications from artistes pushing the envelope. “We felt that there were young artistes we could support and encourage through a grant, to think in a far more open manner in terms of their craft and their thought processes. This is in keeping with a philosophy that art needs to engage with larger society and the complexity of socio-political issues,” Krishna says.

He emphasises the importance of democratising grants in the art world, which are most often urban- and English-centric. “The posters calling for applications were in multiple languages, and we spread the word through local artistes as well in many states. We did not insist on written applications either; videos and even voice notes were encouraged, whatever they were the most comfortable with,” he explains. While the foundation received nearly 150 applications from across the country, five artistes, Seetha, Arindam Manna, Nicky Chandam, Rini Alphonsa Joseph, and Shehzor and her rock band, Inshallah Babes, were then chosen by an independent jury. After being awarded a grant, every artiste has, over the last nine months, worked on their existing, or a newer body of work with Art Unfettered being a culmination of this.

On day 1, Seetha, a PhD scholar will present a solo act, Kathakali, at 5.30pm; visual artiste Arindam will be in conversation with Aishwarya Arumbakkam at 6.45pm and Nicky will present, Unfolding: A Free Verse Movement at 7.45pm. On day 2, artist, potter and writer Rini will be in conversation with V Saranraj at 6.30pm, and Shehzor along with Inshallah Babes will perform at 7.30pm.

The last few months, visual artiste Arindam says, took him back to the forests of Suri, his hometown in West Bengal, and made him ponder over the realities of extinction and how the places he had grown up in have changed over the years. “I have always been interested in the transitional phase of a place, and this project documents these fragile forests through a range of visual art based on my jottings, recordings and photographs from interacting with the communities there,” he explains.

Seetha’s Kathakali delves into conversations on love between the self and the world, a piece she describes as a loving community process. “Many of us are not full-time artistes and we tap into art and spaces that will enhance our work,” she adds.

Varisha Narayanan, part of the core team of Sumanasa Foundation with Shweta Prachande and Vignesh Ishwar, says that the foundation values being able to give artistes a safe space to present their work. “Though they are individual in their journeys, presenting them on the same stage binds them as a cohort,” she adds.

Art Unfettered is on April 12-13 at the MS Subbulakshmi Auditorium, Asian College of Journalism, Taramani.