Rajni shah's Friends

View All

rajni shah's Discussions

Rajni Shah

Gifts Received

rajni shah has not received any gifts yet

Give rajni shah a Gift

Online residency - June 2008

I was 'in residence' on the site during June 2008 which provided an exciting opportunity to explore what being an engaged artist means to me. The residency was mainly focused on the blog, creating a series of writings over the month in the form of a series of letters. Take a look over them if you like and feel free to leave comments. They can exist as stand-alone entries but if reading several it probably makes most sense to read them chronologically. There is also a photo album with a selection of images from relevant works.

The residency was a trial period for a whole series of residencies with some wonderful artists from different parts of the world, which is taking place between June 2008 and May 2009. Artists include:

Jean-Marie Mauclet and Gwylene Gallimard
Tim Jeeves
Doran George
Glas(s) Performance
John Jordan
Bobby Baker

Please feel free to leave me comments on my own residency or the residency programme.

Rajni

Rajni shah's Blog

rajni shah's Photos

Rajni Shah: a selection

Added June 1, 2008 at 1:36pm

Profile Information

Where do you live?

England

Website:

http://www.rajnishah.com

What else do you want us to know?

I'm interested in finding new ways to begin conversations, through gift, visual splendour, the invitation to a meal...

Comment Wall (11 comments)

You need to be a member of The Art of Engagement to add comments!

Join this Ning Network

At 6:43am on March 26, 2009, John Jordan said…: wow .. its beautiful... the explosive heart of hope... !!! thanks for that.. just what i needed today as the dark moon seems to have sapped my energy..xx

At 7:55am on November 27, 2008, TIm Jeeves said…: I think that with those questions - am I doing enough? how can I best make a difference? - you summarised the issues I was working with quite nicely.
Even since the completion of the residency they've stuck with me to a certain degree.
It seems that it's near impossible to predict the long-term effect of an art practise - the repercussions (or lack of) from my Abandoned Piece 1 are a question mark that couldn't be answered even if it had been enacted. Similarly, since that butterfly has been flapping his wings and causing storms around the world, we know that it's possible for even the tiniest of gestures to have major effects - the planting of the tulip bulbs may be just that, or something else entirely could result.

I think you're right with that comment about making work that is 'true to me' - that seems to be the best path that we can hope to take. Not that that is any guarantee of outcome, but that at least provides work that allows you to 'stand by anything that results from what you do' as Daedalus put it.

And as for trying to position the planting of the tulips outside of art - I'm not sure how much I succeeded. How much control do we have over whether something we do is perceived that way? The context of the planting, the fact that I wrote about it on here, the preceding abandoned work; I'm not sure if it's possible to reverse Duchamp and state that something isn't an artwork when otherwise it would be.

With that in mind, if that beautiful field of flowers you suggested had been sown, it's unclear if that would have been more a work of art, or simply the same on a different scale.
It would have definitely been a lovely gesture though.
x

At 2:28pm on September 22, 2008, TIm Jeeves said…: Hey Rajni,
Not sure quite where it's going to go but appreciate the comments. Thank you.
Still unable to work out why my money work is so community minded - got a new job a couple of days a week working with asylum seekers and refugees - and yet my art is generally not at all so. Even this shaquille thing is, I think, more about me and my desire to communicate something than anything else (like wanting to give something which I do feel in my money job).
But the residency is giving me the space to work some things through and that's good enough for me.
And yes, please do send me stuff through on Latonnya's work. Sounds intriguing? Was that what you were involved with when you were out in the states recently?
x

At 4:27pm on May 28, 2008, Pieronymus said…: Hi Rajni,
greetings from Hungary
Pieronymus

At 9:45am on October 9, 2007, Amy Lenzo said…: Your work sounds absolutely fascinating, Rajni.

I'd love to know more about what you've experienced with the World Café (who did you work with? where were the cafés?) and how/if you see it informing your art.

At 12:49pm on October 7, 2007, Amy Lenzo said…: Rajni,
I'm struck by your interest in 'conversation' and that sense of 'invitation' ... intrigued in part because that is the literal and metaphorical work of one of the groups I work with - the world café, and I am always looking for ways to build creatively on that metaphorical foundation with and for them.

Looking forward to more conversation!

BTW - where do you live in England? I was in Brighton between 1986 and 1999, and still go back as often as I can... The green and pleasant land of the Sussex Downs is under my skin. :-)

At 3:21am on October 6, 2007, TIm Jeeves said…: Been having a think about your post on my wall Rajni and think you're right.
Social engagement, in my mind at least, had connotations of working with specific social issues; with the community, with the disadvantaged.
Such areas are not where I would normally position my work, unlike my work with Mencap.
Neverthless, I would include amongst my artistic aims the creation of situations of intimacy, increased understanding and beauty.
The desire for wanting to create such environments stems from wanting to improve people's lives, to make their day more interesting or beautiful.
If we accept that individuals are the building blocks of society, then my aim of enhancing or expanding people's lives, must be a paraphrase of a hope that this will reflect and be magnified onto society as a whole.
So. I suppose my question is this. Unless art is totally egocentric and inward looking, is it, by nature, inherently socially engaged?

At 3:43pm on October 5, 2007, janana said…: I definitely want to come to to one of your dinners!
we did something like this in the experimental performance group I was part of in the late 60's ...yeah.... a long time ago.... we did 'happenings' in galleries and in the street... one time a big spagetti meal in the Ballarat Art gallery...
Theres so much emotional stuff surrounding food!
I love going to peoples places for dinner but i never have dinner parties cos i don't have confidence to cook and host and do it all ..well its such a performance isnt it!

At 6:33am on October 5, 2007, Timothy Hume said…: rajni
Yes I had a look at your web site.
Very cool stuff you are working on with in.
Thanks for your reply.
Sure a conversation with you would be inspiring.
Sounds like Jan can feed you well.
I would hop at the chance a wild leap would be berry well taken.
Cheers
Timothy