"Entanglements" by Pulak Ghosh

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Themes :: Artist Team :: Planning Timetable

Language of Rivers and Leaves is an environmental arts project which explores geographic and cultural links and fosters artistic exchange between Scottish and Indian communities. The project will be delivered in Ballater, Finzean and Braemar Primary Schools and Aboyne Academy, September 27-October 2 2004, by Aberdeenshire Council Arts Development and Visiting Specialist staff and contracted artists.

Themes
§ Sir Patrick Geddes: his environmental theories and links with India; learning from science and art.
§ Rivers: how they shape communities and inspire cultural activity, comparisons with India.
§ Leaves/trees: how all life depends on them, cultural links.
§ Rabindranath Tagore: Indian poet who shared Geddes' environmental thinking and worked with him.

Artist Team
We are delighted to have secured the talents of a number of Scottish and Indian artists who will lead activities in both schools (see draft programme, below). We ask that classroom teachers be present during the artists' lessons; we hope as well that they will join in the activities as teacher or learner, as appropriate.

	Kenny Munro Visual artist Kenny Munro will lead the team. Kenny has over twenty years experience of working for public commissions and education projects. Recent residencies include a Year of the Artist project on the Isle of Skye and work with visitors to National Trust for Scotland's sculpture studio at Kellie Castle.
	Bashabi Fraser Bashabi Fraser splits her professional work between India and Scotland as a creative writer and lecturer in English Literature. Her own poetry has been collected in a number of publications and is co-editing the Multicultural Anthology of Poetry for Children, to be published by Hodding, London. Bashabi was a resident poet for the Poetry Society in Scotland/BT Futuretalk programme, and runs school workshops for the Pushkin Prizes.
	Kumar Krishnan Kumar Krishnan lives in Kingswells but was raised in Tamil Nadu. He is a vocalist skilled in classical Indian music as well as a performer on the bamboo flute. He performs regularly for the Indian Cultural Association in Aberdeen. Please note that we had hoped to have Kumaran's wife, Jwala, to join the team in presenting dance forms, but she is now unavailable due to a family death.
	Iain Mitchell Iain Mitchell is Senior Visiting Art Specialist for Aberdeenshire Council and has been a member of the Ballater Geddes Project since it was formed in 1999. Iain designed the Project's "By Leaves We Live" logo.
	Gavin Smith Gavin Smith is a former lecturer of art at Aberdeen College and now is a full-time craftsman who stays in Strathdon. He too is a founder member of the Ballater Geddes Project and recently carved the waymarker posts for the Geddes Walkway. Gavin is facing the camera.
	Helen Gardner Helen Gardner is a Countryside Ranger for Marr Area, and will be involved with natural history/ geography elements at Ballater School. Helen is on the right of the picture.
	Laura Walker Laura Walker is an arts educator and will be involved with visual arts lessons at Ballater. Seated next to Kenny.
	Tandra Chandra and Pulak Ghosh Tandra Chandra and Pulak Ghosh (married) run the School of Art & Craft, Kolkata and will be on Deeside during the project week to run outreach activities in Braemar School, Aboyne Academy, and a few community groups. They will also pop into Ballater and Finzean where possible and can give a hand to the artist lessons. The couple are established visual artists who have worked and exhibited their creations in Europe, the U.S.A. and Asia.
	Mindy Grewar The Artist Team will be supported by Mindy Grewar, Arts Development Officer.
	"Sonar Tari" Another foreign "visitor" during the week will be the "Sonar Tari", a wooden boat which Kenny commissioned from Bengali craftsmen earlier this year. It was decorated by pupils of the School of Art & Craft, Kolkata and is being shipped to Deeside for the school and community events. It is carrying a number of bamboo flutes, model boats made by the children, and other materials which can be used during our project. The boat will be towed between venues on a trailer by Kenny and will re-inforce the physical link with the Kolkata school, illustrate the project's river theme, and provide an exciting focus for pupil activity and media attention. After the Activity Week, the boat will be displayed throughout October at the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford.

Planning Timetable
Sept 3 Issue revised Lesson Plans and preparatory materials to schools

Sept 8 Plans then issued to artists Pupils given Collecting List of items-paper, cardboard, wood, metal lids etc-to recycle and bring to school. Kenny will collect some of these materials on Preview Day; other items to remain in school for use during Activity Week.

Sept 16 Preview Day: Kenny and Mindy visit school assemblies at Ballater and Finzean Primaries. Presentation of artwork and journals from Kolkata, introduce Patrick Geddes, preview of Activity Week events, challenge pupils to collect materials and think about themes.

Sept 17-24 Preparation Week: Teachers build on project themes

Sept 27-Oct 1 Activity Week: Language of Rivers and Leaves lessons in schools delivered by Artist Team (draft programme, below). Exhibition of Artwork by Tandra and Pulak (hours: 27 September--12 noon-5pm, 28-30 September-9am-5pm, 1 October-9am-2pm)

Sept 28 6-8 pm, Cairngorms National Park office, Ballater: Meet the Artists Reception for Tandra and Pulak.

Sept 29 Community workshops: 10-12.30pm, Wairds Park, Johnshaven; 1.15-3.00, Arbuthnott Hall; 7.15-9.15pm, Alford Community Centre, Hut B

30 Sept Community workshops 7.15-9.15pm, Aboyne Community Centre

Oct 1 2pm, Finzean sharing of pupil work in school /garden

Oct 2 (Geddes' birthday) 11am: Public procession with Sonar Tori, pipers, tree-planting and birthday party in Ballater. Pupils dance, sing, parade their work (banners, model boats, pictures). Both Ballater and Finzean pupils invited.

Oct 2 2.30pm (TBC) Launch of Sonar Tari boat on Loch Kinord; pupils and families invited; children launch model boats.