In a recent conversation with a Dehradun based music producer Prateek Vats / DRIP about his upcoming album DRIP TRIP and the album launch tour, we asked the producer about the current scenario and the future of street performance or street arts as Prateek firmly beleives that this type of street art and street performance culture is already transforming spaces in India after being hugely lauded in metropolitan cities. Though at some places this culture is still not looked upon as a job worth doing. Well, we are here to say in the words of Bob Dylan, ” The times they’re changing ! ”
The producer reflects in his statements that the tremendous talent that resides in India and showcase their art on walls, streets, train stations, bus stops, malls and various other public places, leave the audiences sometimes spellbound by their performance or art. Yet in some places street art or performance is considered another form of begging. Actually, here the change is coming says Prateek Vats after continously doing all India tours since 2017. Prateek is amongst the beleivers that a big chunk of the new generation of artists don’t shy away to take their art all the way to the streets.
The ventures such as St+art India (graffiti art) and a lot of street performers who are jugglers, acrobats, funambulists, musicians, dancers are taking up the role of not just a street performer but also take up the recordings and shots of their street art online, which creates a whole new level of their audience space and also provide fund raising mechanisms for the artists. The street performers in early India disn’t just perform to earn but performed at the very requests of Kings and Queens in their courtyards. Later on this form of art picked up a whole new dimension as internet came to play. The new generation of street artists don’t necessarily want to incite vandalism or is anti – establishment but create an artistic atmosphere at the most monotonous public places and give a taste of entertainment and infotainment to the forever busy class of Indians who pass these public places multiple times on a daily basis.
Drip further added that why this kind of atmosphere should be lauded and promoted. The presence of art at such places will first provide the artist a new platform for which he or she does not have to rely on a second or third party to showcase his or her talents. But apart from what the artist benifits, Drip also mentioned how the whole community can benifit from the presence of art and the artists on our streets. The presence of art and the artist would cheers up the mood and morale of indian citizen and help with tyding up the spaces that otherwise are hard to clean and maintain. The promotion of such activity will help in building up the confidence in the citizens as well as the artist to look for more friendly, informative, ethical and moralistic content which is not based on false narratives, propaganda and is suited for all ages. This is what can not be moderated or regulated on internet.
Drip is now finishing up on DRIP TRIP and is certain that the video shoots will be able to start by the month of July this year and will also be promoting street art / performances in his upcoming album. In conclusion we would like to add the new generation of artists and performers are in all direction evolving with their online presence and also withstanding the traditional methods like street art and performances. And let us all in every way possible try and help the Indian talent to spread its wings as far as possible.
