JAAGA
Bangalore, Karnataka -2009:
In 2009, artist Archana Prasad and technologist Freeman Murray established Jaaga, meaning ‘space’ in Kannada, to explore the areas of art and technology, the latter being an important aspect of Bengaluru’s identity. Co-creating was a key aspect of the space and the residency evolved as a way of formalising this interaction. Inter-disciplinary interface and cross-cultural dialogue are some of the guiding principles for Jaaga. Since its founding, the residency has hosted local, national and international artists with the support of institutions such as Goethe-Institut, Swissnex, University of Michigan and Microsoft Research India, amongst others. These residencies offer artists an opportunity to engage deeply with the city of Bengaluru and generate unique perspectives through this interaction. The team at Jaaga facilitates this process by introducing resident artists to the city and its inhabitants.
The architecture of Jaaga played an important role in its origin story and identity. It was a ‘living building’ designed by Freeman Murray using warehouse shelving material and occupied an unused piece of urban land. Easily constructed, dismantled and reassembled, the building was flexible in nature and could be moved from one location to another or customised to accommodate the evolving needs of the space.
The residency at Jaaga has evolved over the years, beginning with residencies where artists would stay in an accommodation provided for by Jaaga to working in collaboration with other residencies/accommodations in the city to host artists. The projects at Jaaga are often collaborative and centre on aspects such as urban culture and community building. ‘Urban Avantgarde’ and ‘Urban Pastures’ are some of their notable projects. At present, Jaaga’s focus is on art in public spaces and on ‘Bengaluru Fantastic’, a techart in public space biennale. Apart from residencies dedicated to art, Jaaga also conducts ‘Hackers Camp’, a residential learning camp focused on technology.
Text Courtesy : Space118
Image Courtesy : Jaaga and World Wide Web