Drafts by Subhasree Franceschi
In the contemporary world, movements became a norm, but borders are increasingly difficult to cro... more In the contemporary world, movements became a norm, but borders are increasingly difficult to cross. How do we define a ‘home’ or a ‘country’?
Exile creates a possibility of multiple homes where ‘home’ becomes a fetish, a place of desire in a diasporic imagination.
How do we draw the cartography of a space which is no longer a physical space but becomes another space? A heterotopic space of longing and belonging, a familiar sound, smell, colour, taste, and warmth?
Thus, only phenomenological cartography can best define such spatiality.
The essay will talk about the phenomenological mapping of home and the country in the psyche of Bangladeshis migrated after partition.
When fast, busyness, growth and productivity are the dominant culture, the Pandemic forced us to ... more When fast, busyness, growth and productivity are the dominant culture, the Pandemic forced us to slow down, adopt a new way of life. The Lockdown forced us to stay at home.
Each days are reduced to basics, routines, worries, frustrations, and there is death lurking in the distance. “It is the thought of the future as impermanent that breeds fear”.
Impermanence or aniccā (Pāli) anitya or anatta (Sanskrit) means that nothing in life is permanent, it is ever changing. Permanency is a mere perspective and therefore often “when we meet with impermanency, there is a feeling of despair. But there is creation only when the old has ceased.”
In this unprecedented time, how do we make meaning of ‘home’ or the ‘world’ as such?
How do we make sense of communities and take care of each other? How do we ‘heal’ collectively? Does art matter?
The primary inspiration is from Deleuze’s concept of ‘espace quelconque’, which translated in English as ‘Any space whatever’, maybe lost a bit of nuance and there are ‘intended mistakes’ too.
The essay explores the experience of refugees/migrants at the threshold. It navigates through the... more The essay explores the experience of refugees/migrants at the threshold. It navigates through the double bind of displacement, home and exile, the pains and dreams, transcultural memories, identities, and language. Its inquiries- how can one learn to play with the double bind, so it raises consciousness?
The essay highlights, though the migrant bodies at the margin experience pains and trauma, it can be capitalized upon to create a counter-hegemonic culture. Bell Hooks described ‘margin’ “as a space of radical openness- a profound edge. Locating oneself there is difficult yet necessary.”
Resisting 'whiteness', talks about the 'Decolonise Curriculum' movement in the UK and the potenti... more Resisting 'whiteness', talks about the 'Decolonise Curriculum' movement in the UK and the potential role of creative resistance. It talks about marginality in the predominantly white space and white curriculum in the UK University while identifies ‘Margin’ as a space of ‘Radical Openness’, a place of a plethora of creation. It challenges the main critic for Art activism that it is ‘aestheticization’ and ‘spectacularizing’ of politics and political protest.
My inquiries in this paper are moving around silence, voice, and marginality. I explore a little ... more My inquiries in this paper are moving around silence, voice, and marginality. I explore a little more into the systemic marginalisation of women and silencing her through patriarchal hegemony. I am inquiring the power 'She' possess to change the existing paradigm, in which the value of humanism is in great danger and the possibility of new humanism should be taken seriously. Other than reading and reflecting, my inquiries got further base on visiting Venice Biennale 2017. Which re-affirmed my faith on matriarchy, and 'Art' as an effective tool for social change. I believe, 'She' is the healer, the shaman, the great protector of the whole Universe.
In this article, I shall discuss about kantha and the potential that crafts clusters have in deli... more In this article, I shall discuss about kantha and the potential that crafts clusters have in delivering sustainable development to the kantha artisan of region Birbhum. Today, regions are playing a crucial role in the implementation of new sustainable models of development. This is a research based on the importance of cluster to ensure sustainability. The methodology consists of finding out the role of Govt. of India, NIFT's cluster initiatives, as well as United nation's goal for sustainable development and UNESCO's concern to save Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Finally, how women empowerment in the cluster eradicate poverty and established a sustainable life for the artisans INTRODUCTION: Kantha is an ancient form of folk art traced back in pre vedic age. The word Kantha is originated from Sanskrit word " kontha " which has two meaning: rags and throat. A legend says that the Kantha owes its origin to Lord Buddha and his disciples who used to cover themselves with rags patched and stitched together. Kantha is a form of traditional quilting in Bengal in which old saris and dhotis are stitched together to make objects of functional, ritual, or ceremonial use. Traditionally, thread drawn from the borders of old saris is used to quilt the pieces and embroider borders and motifs in variations of the darning stitch, today the kantha artisan mostly use new fabric, cotton, silk, tussah, linen, wool. Motifs are drawn from everyday life but are often imbued with symbolic meanings. It is a traditional skill, handed down from generations to generations. Kantha is predominantly women-centric art. It was a personal expression of a woman's imagination, dream and fantasy. Kantha embroidery today is an important source of income for women artisan or entrepreneur. As Kanthas are a form of recycling rags, they were often associated with poverty, but the revival of kantha makes it an elitist possession. Kantha traveled the glorious journey from rags to riches. Today Kantha got the status of Intangible cultural heritage(ICH). The metamorphosis of a thrown out objects to and art form makes kantha legendary. Kantha can be easily called as a recycling art. It is somewhat similar to Japanese Boro textile which is also recycled from old fabric, patched and stitched together with darning stitch. But Boro textile in usually indigo with white geometric stitches, whereas Kantha is more vivid and colourful with geometric, floral or figurative motifs.
Papers by Subhasree Franceschi
In this article, I shall discuss about kantha and the potential that crafts clusters have in deli... more In this article, I shall discuss about kantha and the potential that crafts clusters have in delivering sustainable development to the kantha artisan of region Birbhum. Today, regions are playing a crucial role in the implementation of new sustainable models of development. This is a research based on the importance of cluster to ensure sustainability. The methodology consists of finding out the role of Govt. of India, NIFT's cluster initiatives, as well as United nation's goal for sustainable development and UNESCO's concern to save Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Finally, how women empowerment in the cluster eradicate poverty and established a sustainable life for the artisans INTRODUCTION: Kantha is an ancient form of folk art traced back in pre vedic age. The word Kantha is originated from Sanskrit word " kontha " which has two meaning: rags and throat. A legend says that the Kantha owes its origin to Lord Buddha and his disciples who used to cover themselves with rags patched and stitched together. Kantha is a form of traditional quilting in Bengal in which old saris and dhotis are stitched together to make objects of functional, ritual, or ceremonial use. Traditionally, thread drawn from the borders of old saris is used to quilt the pieces and embroider borders and motifs in variations of the darning stitch, today the kantha artisan mostly use new fabric, cotton, silk, tussah, linen, wool. Motifs are drawn from everyday life but are often imbued with symbolic meanings. It is a traditional skill, handed down from generations to generations. Kantha is predominantly women-centric art. It was a personal expression of a woman's imagination, dream and fantasy. Kantha embroidery today is an important source of income for women artisan or entrepreneur. As Kanthas are a form of recycling rags, they were often associated with poverty, but the revival of kantha makes it an elitist possession. Kantha traveled the glorious journey from rags to riches. Today Kantha got the status of Intangible cultural heritage(ICH). The metamorphosis of a thrown out objects to and art form makes kantha legendary. Kantha can be easily called as a recycling art. It is somewhat similar to Japanese Boro textile which is also recycled from old fabric, patched and stitched together with darning stitch. But Boro textile in usually indigo with white geometric stitches, whereas Kantha is more vivid and colourful with geometric, floral or figurative motifs.
This paper is a patchwork of reflections about my work. The ensemble of inquiries my work evokes,... more This paper is a patchwork of reflections about my work. The ensemble of inquiries my work evokes, such as identity, obsession, power, ego, crisis, soul searching, I tried to sew them together.
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Drafts by Subhasree Franceschi
Exile creates a possibility of multiple homes where ‘home’ becomes a fetish, a place of desire in a diasporic imagination.
How do we draw the cartography of a space which is no longer a physical space but becomes another space? A heterotopic space of longing and belonging, a familiar sound, smell, colour, taste, and warmth?
Thus, only phenomenological cartography can best define such spatiality.
The essay will talk about the phenomenological mapping of home and the country in the psyche of Bangladeshis migrated after partition.
Each days are reduced to basics, routines, worries, frustrations, and there is death lurking in the distance. “It is the thought of the future as impermanent that breeds fear”.
Impermanence or aniccā (Pāli) anitya or anatta (Sanskrit) means that nothing in life is permanent, it is ever changing. Permanency is a mere perspective and therefore often “when we meet with impermanency, there is a feeling of despair. But there is creation only when the old has ceased.”
In this unprecedented time, how do we make meaning of ‘home’ or the ‘world’ as such?
How do we make sense of communities and take care of each other? How do we ‘heal’ collectively? Does art matter?
The primary inspiration is from Deleuze’s concept of ‘espace quelconque’, which translated in English as ‘Any space whatever’, maybe lost a bit of nuance and there are ‘intended mistakes’ too.
The essay highlights, though the migrant bodies at the margin experience pains and trauma, it can be capitalized upon to create a counter-hegemonic culture. Bell Hooks described ‘margin’ “as a space of radical openness- a profound edge. Locating oneself there is difficult yet necessary.”
Papers by Subhasree Franceschi
Exile creates a possibility of multiple homes where ‘home’ becomes a fetish, a place of desire in a diasporic imagination.
How do we draw the cartography of a space which is no longer a physical space but becomes another space? A heterotopic space of longing and belonging, a familiar sound, smell, colour, taste, and warmth?
Thus, only phenomenological cartography can best define such spatiality.
The essay will talk about the phenomenological mapping of home and the country in the psyche of Bangladeshis migrated after partition.
Each days are reduced to basics, routines, worries, frustrations, and there is death lurking in the distance. “It is the thought of the future as impermanent that breeds fear”.
Impermanence or aniccā (Pāli) anitya or anatta (Sanskrit) means that nothing in life is permanent, it is ever changing. Permanency is a mere perspective and therefore often “when we meet with impermanency, there is a feeling of despair. But there is creation only when the old has ceased.”
In this unprecedented time, how do we make meaning of ‘home’ or the ‘world’ as such?
How do we make sense of communities and take care of each other? How do we ‘heal’ collectively? Does art matter?
The primary inspiration is from Deleuze’s concept of ‘espace quelconque’, which translated in English as ‘Any space whatever’, maybe lost a bit of nuance and there are ‘intended mistakes’ too.
The essay highlights, though the migrant bodies at the margin experience pains and trauma, it can be capitalized upon to create a counter-hegemonic culture. Bell Hooks described ‘margin’ “as a space of radical openness- a profound edge. Locating oneself there is difficult yet necessary.”