Key words: practice, india, mental health, queer art, narratives, peace, transformation, future
Join us for the eighth Agora of the Collective Creative Practices project, with artist and facilitator Adwaita Das.
This session will start with the workshop Beyond the Binaries, seeking to imagine multi-culture-spectrum-sensitive narratives beyond the divisive binaries underlying our representation of the present and the future.
Followed by an open reflexive discussion focused on the issue of shaping safe spaces: safe for whom? Why is it important? With what tools and methods?
Brief outline of the workshop
Step 1—Reverse—introduction to the intersectional exclusion people have experienced and continue to face through languages and symbolisms, thus, literally as well as metaphorically; how to bring inclusive aspects by simply reversing popular stereotypes associated with colour, size, temperature, etc; guiding prompts plus interactive suggestions plus time for individual notes.
Step 2—Rewrite—expand the themes of reversal to view the opposites with empathy rather than scorn; create speculative pieces of literature and-or art based on this diversity in conditions and-or actions; prompts added, extended.
Step 3—Redefine—imagine multi-culture-spectrum-sensitive narratives beyond the divisive binaries; re-engaging with the opposites to open layers in between as well as grow out of obsolete rigidities, towards abundant options; prompts for peace, while also planning what peaceful templates can be, once achieved
Facilitator Bio
Adwaita Das is the author of 27 Stitches, Colours of Shadow, Songs of Sanity & Quantum Tango. Their art features in various publications plus illustrated series, including Young Mental Health with the Health Collective & Divine Darkness by Black Bough Poetry. They have worked in theatre, news, advertising & filmmaking. As creative facilitator for inclusive mental healthcare & innovative social justice, Adwaita applies spoken imagery to address trauma & share tools of peace.
Link to Social Media and Select Works ~ https://linktr.ee/adwaita