The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

CULTURE

Print making workshop begins
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 19 — A three-day print making workshop by Paul Coldwell opened today at the Government College of Art Studios today. The workshop is being organised by the College of Art, Chandigarh in collaboration with the British Council, New Delhi.

Mr Paul Coldwell is a renowned British artist and printmaker. He decided to base this workshop on ideas from drawing and photography. His aim is to teach those participating in the workshop to be able to use both the traditional intaglio process, etching, drypoint as well as photo-etching.

Paul Coldwell is a master at graphic work, and a print maker par excellence. Having had the best of education in art from the Bristol Polytechnic and Slade School of Art in the UK, he is currently the head of print making at the Camberwell College of Arts and Chelsea College of Art and design at the London Institute.

He is the only foreign artist to have been called upon to participate in the prestigious exhibition currently going on at the Queen’s Gallery of the British Council at Delhi. He also delivered a lecture on ‘Contemporary Print making-a personal view’ at the British Council Library yesterday.

The works produced by the faculty and the students under the guidance of Paul Coldwell will be displayed as a special exhibition later.

Local bands wait for revival
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Aug 19 — “Chandigarh is a happening place for outside musicians and singers, but not for the local talent who is facing a saturation point in the recent years”. These are the words of a local band member called ‘The Rodrigues’.

Charlie, a member from a band called ‘Bachelor’s Grave’ sarcastically asserted that, “There was a time when people appreciated the efforts of our live rock band, but now nobody appreciates young talent. Only those bands survive who make their entry on TV channels.”

Chandigarh is facing the splitting up of rock bands. According to a survey, no local western rock band has performed since 1998, whereas nearly every month Chandigarhians welcome various newcomers who perform in cable T.V. In fact after metropolitian cities, Chandigarh is first on the priority list of famous singers. The trend of western live rock shows which dates as back to 1989 started with the first band called ‘Silent Echo’s’ in 1989 followed by ‘The Rodrigues Chandigarh’ in the same year and ‘Bachelor’s Grave’ in 1994 has now faded away.

Interaction revealed some reasons responsible for the lack of western rock bands in Chandigarh. Mr Neeraj Rishi who is a member of the Cinema Association of India started his career in 1979 as a guitarist remembers that he went to Bombay to learn the guitar. Now after spending 20 years in music and cutting four albums of instrumental music apart from playing on the keyboard in various studios of Mohali he feels that musicians working in schools and restaurants can succeed only with continous practice. Mr Lalit Kumar from Silent Echo’s says, “We had five members in our group and the response from the public was incredible during our first show at the Batra Theatre, but as we never wanted to switch over to Punjabi pop or Hindi songs which the audience of Punjab wants, our band split very soon.”

Even Errol Rodrigues from ‘The Rodrigues’ emphasised that after covering 14 to 15 rock shows, they have to include Punjabi and Hindi songs in their band because of public demand. Charlie, Cheetan and Paulis who are from ‘Bachelor ‘s Grave’ remember that, “Our dream came true when we performed for the first time at the Polytechnic for Girls in Sector 10, where there was a great crowd and later had 10 to 12 shows in the University and other places from 1994 onwards. But now there is no audience for western shows because of Punjabi pop coming up. Lack of sponsors was a big factor for the splitting of our band.” A survey revealed that most of the young talent of our city are working as music teachers in various schools or working on a contract basis with reputed restaurants. Lack of sponsorships could be a big reason for the current slide, but if artists from another place can perform than why cannot locals. A new western band called ‘The Pauls’ which formed just last year performed in the Golf Club on August 14 remarked that their work was really appreciated and there is hope that western music may return.