The 'Ghosts, Monsters, and Dreams' art exhibition, seeks to reimagine a good city by using the stories and aspirations of Ennore's people as a guiding framework.
The art exhibition will take place from 26-28 January at Asvita's Art Gallery. (South First)
Ennore Creek, once teeming with extensive mangrove swamps and renowned as a sanctuary for diverse fish species like Aathu Nandu, Sippili, Padagnan, and others, acted as a guardian during periods of disasters. However, the passage of time has marked Ennore and its inhabitants with a relentless succession of challenges.
From confronting flooding and industrial encroachment to grappling with air pollution, health concerns arising from industrial pollutants, and incidents such as oil spills and ammonia gas leaks, the community and its delicate ecosystem have endured a myriad of adversities.
In the face of these challenges and a notable discrepancy in development planning between South and North Chennai, where North Chennai often finds itself overlooked, we still frequently boast about Chennai as Singara Chennai (Beautiful Chennai). However, the question remains: Is it truly a good city?
To reimagine the concept of a good city in light of the community’s efforts to protect the Ennore Wetlands, an art exhibition titled ‘Ghosts Monsters and Dreams’ is set to take place this month at Asvita’s Art Gallery in Chennai.
Organised by the Coastal Resource Centre in collaboration with the British Academy, the exhibition aims to visually explore this reimagining by weaving together stories and memories of the past (ghosts), present (monsters), and future (dreams) to give context to the ‘People’s Plan for Ennore Wetland.’
Ennore oil spill. (South First)
“Nalla nagaram na enna? (What makes a good city?) To grasp this concept, we must consider various perspectives. As we pursue development, focusing on infrastructure, business, and corporatisation, it’s crucial to evaluate their effects on small businesses and the livelihoods of working-class individuals. Ensuring basic needs are met for all and promoting a healthy environment should be integral to a city’s growth,” shared Benisha, an artist-social worker and a key member of the Chennai Climate Action Group, during a curtain-raiser event on Tuesday, 23 January 2024.
Drawing on narratives from Ennore’s residents and elders, as well as the aspirations of local communities, the exhibition will present a tangible ‘People’s Plan for the Eco-restoration of Ennore Wetlands.’
“Evaluating development goes beyond metrics like GDP, corporate presence, and the influx of IT industry. It necessitates a focus on people’s well-being. Nagara Valarchi (City development), in Ennore’s context, involves understanding the needs of people,” shared Benisha.
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A city is not limited to humans alone, it accommodates a diverse range of living organisms.
“Recognising Ennore Creek as the backdrop for reimagining a good city means acknowledging that the landscape is a habitat for both human and non-human life. A truly good city should be envisioned from the standpoint of multispecies justice,” she explained, discussing the intersectional perspective.
In this exhibition, art assumes a pivotal role in conveying these narratives. Curated by Satwik Gade, a cartoonist and illustrator, the focus will be on the intersection of art and activism.
Exploring the importance of art in social justice, he expressed, “Art inherently embraces inclusivity. The complexities of academic language, dealing with facts, analysing public figures, and navigating through statistics often erect formidable barriers. This language, at times, mirrors that of the oppressor, with governments and corporations using facts, figures, and numbers to confound.”
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“But, what’s happening here is straightforward to comprehend, making it simple to address. Through art, it becomes a medium for people to relate to the current issue. I believe that art fosters this connection,” he conveyed.
In art, Satwik noted that one should look beyond mere skill and medium, directing attention to its essence — the messaging itself.
“We are collaborating with art students. The reason they are in the College of Arts is because they are talented artists. However, what’s intriguing is connecting them to the issue, helping them understand it, fostering interest, and encouraging active engagement. We acknowledge their incredible artistic skills, and we anticipate the emergence of great ideas. The primary focus is not solely on the art but on the underlying issue,” he noted.
Aafreen Kabir, an artist and heritage historian, a key member of the organising committee, emphasised the significant North-South divide.
“Continuing to designate the North of the city as a sacrifice zone for the overall development of the rest is wrong. We must cease normalising the sacrifice of both the people and their ecosystem,” she shared.
During the live curtain raiser on Instagram, an attendee aptly commented: Vadaku theyudhu, theruku valaruthu (North is eroding, South is developing), succinctly capturing the prevailing situation.
Drawing a parallel, Benisha presented an analogy – for growth and nurturing, one must engage in the processes of eating, intake, and excretion, resulting in a dump. “Over the years, North Chennai has transformed into such a dumping ground for development,” she rued.
All the artwork in the exhibition has emerged simply from conversations and experiences of people from Ennore Creek. (Instagram: @thegoodcity_)
“In envisioning a good city, the essence lies in achieving samathuvam (equality),” shared Benisha.
In 2022, the National Green Tribunal mandated the State to formally designate the complete extent of the remaining portions of Ennore wetlands under the Tamil Nadu Wetland Mission to safeguard it from further disruptions.
This year, the government earmarked funds for the revitalisation of Ennore Creek as part of the TN Coastal Restoration Mission.
However, highlighting the wetland mission, she remarked, “Ennore wetlands are officially recognised as a protected area, yet the government’s perspective reduces it to data. The government fails to acknowledge the intricate relationships, kadhai (stories), and the sentiments of the people connected to it. This study aims to delve into people’s perspectives on a research basis, launching the ‘People’s Plan’ as a significant initiative,” she added.
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The three-day event, set to kick off on January 26, will be inaugurated by Tamil film director Gopi Nainar. The curation will include a guided tour of exhibits, a play titled ‘Once There Was a River’ by Arunodhaya Children’s Sangam, film screenings, panel discussions, and art workshops. The participating artists include M Adhithya Mohan, M Elavarasan, S Kirubavathi, M Rajesh, Aafreen Kabir, Benisha, Dhavalya Sagar and John Cook.
Nagulan and Darshini, students in classes 10 and 12 respectively, from Arunodhaya, will be part of a group presenting the play.
In developing the play’s script, they undertook a tour of Ennore, appropriately labelled the ‘toxic tour’. Despite prior visits to Ennore as tourists, they remained unaware of the environmental devastations it had faced. Interacting with residents deepened their understanding of the environmental impact of development.
“We were quite shocked,” recalled Nagulan, a resident of Korukkupet.
The personal stories of the Ennore residents have infused the play with depth and substance. (Instagram: @thegoodcity_)
The personal stories of the Ennore residents infused their play with depth and substance.
“Ennore residents who witnessed our performance remarked: ‘You captured our childhood, of the Ennore we grew up in, in just one hour.’ Some even pledged their support, stating they would back us for the cause of preserving and reviving old Ennore,” Darshini said.
“We take pride in narrating this story and making a meaningful contribution to society,” Nagulan added.
Despite ongoing threats to Ennore, the work of such conscious organisations and young individuals like Nagulan and Darshini gives hope for the Creeks’ revival.
The art exhibition will take place from 26-28 January, 10 am to 7 pm at Asvita’s Art Gallery, 2nd Street, RK Salai, Mylapore. For details, call: 880727854. Instagram @CoastalResourceCentre
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