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Open Call India | Arts & Culture

@opencallindia

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Building community. Democratising knowledge & resources. Empowering artists. Sharing opportunities & events.
Anti-gatekeeping.
Run by Sanah Rehman.

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Hi all! Here’s your chance to access an extensive collection of art writing without burning a hole in your pocket on expensive paywalls and subscriptions.

Whether you’re an artist, curator, researcher, student or someone who’s curious about the arts, this free digital art library will give you information by some of the most influential voices in art and cultural discourse all collated in one google drive folder.

Explore readings on contemporary art, curatorial practice, museum studies, visual culture, art history, feminism, decolonial and postcolonial theory, cultural studies, archives, institutional critique, public art, digital culture, activism, South Asian art and much more.

This library was originally compiled by me using PDFs and readings from my curatorial studies course. It was initially shared as an open, collaborative resource (Knowledge Barter) where people could contribute their own essays and research materials.

The collection you see now has been made possible through the generous contributions of Sitara, Dakshita, Harsha, Soumya, Mukesh, Chahat, Jones, Nilofer, and Dev. (Please tag yourself in the comments!)

However in order to prevent accidental edits or deletions or unnecessary spam, the library is now available as a view-only folder. It’s completely free to access and will remain available for anyone to read and share forward.

🔗 in bio. Stop scrolling, start reading. ✨ by @opencallindia

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4 months ago

Connect with other creators without the hassle of navigating an ever-changing algorithm.

OCI’s city-based WhatsApp groups are here to make collaboration, conversations, opportunities and connecting with community easier.

To keep these spaces useful for everyone, here are a few community guidelines:

✨This is an arts and culture group. Please don’t post things unrelated to the arts-they’ll be removed.

✨Don’t be spammy. Share your event or opportunity only ONCE a week.

✨Feel free to introduce yourself and share your website or portfolio. Keep it to a maximum of 4 images and 1 link.

✨Community works when everyone participates. Don’t just post your own events-support your peers, give feedback, engage with their work and start conversations. These groups exist to make communication easier not just to broadcast announcements. Please use it mindfully.

✨Be respectful. If a conversation or disagreement becomes one-on-one, please continue it in personal messages rather than the group.

✨Being an admin is a double-edged sword. If I remove a post or remind someone about the guidelines, please know it’s never personal. My only goal is to keep these groups valuable for everyone.

🤍Thank you for being here. I hope we can all support one another and build stronger local arts communities. 🫂 by @opencallindia

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4 months ago

Making your life easier one list at a time.

Follow these grant-giving organisations and foundations that regularly support artists and cultural practitioners.

1. India Foundation for the Arts @indiaifa
2. Murthy Nayak Foundation @murthynayakfoundation @photosouthasia
3. Toto Funds the Arts @totofundsthearts
4. Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art @fica_india
5. Mrinalini Mukherjee Foundation @mrinalinimukherjee.foundation
6. Goa Open Arts Foundation @goaopenarts
7. Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation @inlaksfoundation
8. Serendipity Arts Foundation @serendipityartsfoundation
9. Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundations @shergilsundaramartsfoundation
10. Alkazi Foundation for Arts @alkazifoundation
11. Prameya Art Foundation @prameya_art_foundation
12. Devi Art foundation @deviartfoundation
13. Saat Saath Arts Foundation @saatsaatharts.foundation
14. Anant Foundation for the Arts @anantfoundationforthearts
15. Art Incept @artincept
16. Emami Art @emami_art
17. Experimenter - Generator Cooperative Art Production @experimenterkol
18. Art Centrix Grants @artcentrixspace
19. Krishna Swamy Mopidevi Grant @srinivasadityamopidevi
20. Tata Trusts @tata_trusts
21. Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies @rnp_foundation
22. Royal Enfield Social Mission @royalenfieldsocialmission
23. Charles Wallace India Trust @charleswallaceindiatrust
24. Sahapedia @sahapedia
25. British Council @britishcouncil
26. Goethe-Institut @goethemumbai @goetheinstitut_newdelhi @goetheinstitut_bangalore
27. Khoj International Artists Association @khojstudios
28. Take on Art @takeonart
29. Fearless Foundation @fearless.art
30. Apre Grants @apremumbai
31. Affirma @affirmaartists4artists
32. Space 118 Art Foundation @space118_foundation
33. Pro Helvetia @prohelvetia_newdelhi

Good luck! 💝 by @opencallindia

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4 months ago

📷 Photography Exhibition | Delhi

After years of living, farming and sharing daily life in a Ladakh village, Ayan Biswas (@_ayan.biswas) has come to see belonging differently. “A Chosen Home” is his tender look at how landscapes hold our memories.

Working across photography, printmaking and moving image, Ayan keeps things slow and analogue. He uses alternative processes, sometimes builds his own cameras, and brings local plants into the images, so the region’s history becomes a part of each picture. It all moves at the gentle rhythm of village life.

Bring your friends along for an intimate showcase of his works opening this Saturday and stay for a candid conversation between Ayan and Ashish Sahoo (@ashish6x7), co-founder of Maze Collective (@themazecollectivestudio) and his mentor from his early days of making and experimenting.

🗓️ 17th Oct | 5 PM onwards
🗣️ Talk at 6PM
📍 Art, easy at Third Roast, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi
🆓 Walk in, no registration required

The event is hosted by @quietartmovement, an artist-forward organisation that provides artists long-term support, care, professional and personal development and a community where they can learn from each other and grow together.

Spread the word. ✨ taken in Vasant Kunj by @opencallindia

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3 days ago

Culture Walk | Mumbai

Mumbai’s “Garden Suburb” of Chembur is a treasure trove of history, architecture and culture. On this guided walk, journalist and communications professional Prayag Arora-Desai (@prayagaroradesai) will trace Chembur’s journey from a coastal hamlet on Trombay Island to one of Mumbai’s most diverse communities.

You’ll visit the area’s oldest surviving temple, look at disappearing architectural forms, walk through one of the city’s last surviving Hindu gaothans, and uncover local legends and lesser-known histories including stories of Chembur’s own freedom fighters.

You will learn and think about what makes a neighbourhood a neighbourhood. The people, places, memories and stories that give a place its character.

Drop a message to 9619092104 to reserve your spot!

Don’t forget to tag your friends on this post. 🤍 taken in Chembur,Mumbai by @opencallindia

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a month ago

🎞️Workshop | Mumbai

𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, a beginner-friendly, introductory workshop by photographer and filmmaker, 𝗧𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁 (@grainysomething) introduces participants to the basics of photo archiving through a hands-on journey with old photographs, negatives, and slides -the kind you might discover in your grandparents’ stowed away trunks.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 how to handle, clean, store, digitise, and organise their personal photo collections. The workshop blends practical exercises with storytelling, and participants are encouraged to bring their own finds from home, including prints, negatives, or slides, to explore and experiment with during the session. By the end of the workshop, everyone leaves with both practical knowledge and, hopefully, a deeper sense of connection to their images.

📅𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟮 𝗢𝗥 𝟭𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
⏰𝟭𝟬:𝟯𝟬 𝗔𝗠 – 𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠
📍𝗗𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝗡𝗖𝗣𝗔, 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗙𝗲𝗲: ₹𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁

Registration form in @ncpaartgallery’s bio. by @opencallindia

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a month ago

What do these works make you feel?

The abstract forms drew me in but they also made me grit my teeth and ache at their sharp edges, almost as if I needed to soften them into something more docile. And yet, I couldn’t look away.

The material made me think about the future of the work, how it will rust, weather, and change colour over time. Will I get to see this work again when we’re both older? How will time shape us both?

I love art that can make me feel physically nauseous and deeply intrigued at the same time. It’s not often that I come across art that creates such a visceral reaction while still making me want to keep looking.

@vyomasura’s exhibition ‘Hell is other people’ curated by @ayesha.parikh is on view at @artandcharlie, Bandra | Mumbai. taken in Mumbai by @opencallindia

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2 months ago

I have always believed that gifts should be thoughtfully chosen, no matter how big or small. Our friends and family deserve meaningful, beautiful things made with love (and hands), something that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

So, before my trip to Bangalore, I visited Sasha’s studio (@studio_sa.sha) in Juhu, Bombay, and spent a long time browsing through her many, many gorgeous ceramic pieces.

She specialises in Sgraffito, Nerikomi and Raku (although she absolutely didn’t want to part with the Raku piece because it was her favourite but I convinced her). 🤭

From tableware and vases to cups and tea light holders, there was so much to choose from. I was spoilt for choice! I spent a considerable amount of time carefully picking pieces for people I love and writing personalised notes on her beautiful postcards. The entire experience felt so special. Spending time with an artist, understanding their process, hearing about their practice, and then handpicking something that is truly their labour of love.

There’s something incredibly meaningful about giving a present that carries a story. The hands that made it, the time and care that went into it, and the thought you put into choosing it for someone.

So if you’re looking for a gift, buy from an artist.
Thank you @sashahs for letting me take your fav piece. I’ll be back for more. 🤍 taken in Juhu, Mumbai by @opencallindia

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2 months ago

A few fantastic days in Bangalore. ✨

A physical meet-up where the most amazing creators turned up, computational art as a present by @kala.cast, a visit to @mapbangalore, reconnecting with @manojnayeluri and @natasha.jeyasingh, exploring the gorgeous @ngma_bengaluru, standing in front of a 500-year-old painting, a deeply moving exhibition by @rabha_dhiraj_, discovering an art shop that used to be a general store (@generalitems.in), and making new artist friends (@alampanah)-it all felt like such a dream. ✨

So grateful for these encounters, conversations and unexpected discoveries. 🌸

See you very soon, Bangalore. 🤍 taken in Bangalore by @opencallindia

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2 months ago

Field Notes on Seeing is a project I have been working on over the last year or so while teaching and photographing between Pune-Bangalore-Mumbai.

The zine is a reflection on how we look, what we notice, and how photography can teach us to slow down.

I am grateful to have had the worked with such wonderful collaborators on this project:

FNOS is curated by my dearest friend @gurnoorsingh_photography . The introductory essay is written by my wonderful partner @indoripohaha , who also edited the overall text.

Part 2 of Field Notes and a special 3rd chapter is in the works. I cannot wait to tell you more about it super soon on my personal account.

In Conversation with @gurnoorsingh_photography

Introductory Essay by @indoripohaha ji 💌

Taking from the concepts in class to realise a body of work into existence.

Yes, I teach shitposting as a part of my visual cultures class ☝️🤓

Conversations With a Foreign Land is a w.i.p. body of work and a love letter to Brighton - The city that helped me love and care for myself a little better.

I have long talked about and teased my debut book ‘Conversations With a Foreign Land’, (3 years in March, to be precise) but never got around to actually revisiting the folder because I am scared of leaving the studio teary eyed as always in good memory of 21 year old Soham not knowing how, what, where and who to be in this alien country.

I believe that a body of work needs to marinate and really it always has been a bit of a “it comes to me with time” conversation when publishing my work.

After a long (and quite ruthless) edit session with my dearest friend & curator @gurnoorsingh_photography , I decided to re-grade and sequence the work together to make a dummy of a not-so-modest 200 pictures.

While putting together my work for the upcoming portfolio review with @kalpeshlathigra @veequine at @ncpaartgallery I rediscovered few of my favourite moments from the book.

On free days, I would wander around like a seagull on that southern breeze along the Brighton-Eastbourne coast. With no obligation to be home by sunset, I would often carry my dinner with me to be at Peacehaven Promenade by the channel sea at sunset.
It was one o by @opencallindia

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2 months ago

Hello Eveyone !
Happy World Photography Day !

@s0ham.j here taking over the Open Call India page !

I am a visual artist and educator based in Pune, India.

My work employs alternative photographic techniques to explore themes of urbanity and identity. I am captivated by the intricate relationships between individuals, photographic materials, and the urban environment.

In my practice, whether capturing the human form or architectural structures, I aim to celebrate the subjects I photograph. Through experimentation with various photography mediums, my current research delves into identity, utilizing alternative photographic processes inspired by traditional darkroom methods.

Growing up in Mumbai’s suburbs and Pune, I witnessed the impact firsthand. Mumbai’s asbestos problem persisted for two decades while Pune grappled with demolishing its serene hills to build commercial spaces and apartments. As I delved deeper into this subject, I became increasingly concerned about labour issues and health problems stemming from rising urbanisation.

To these concerns, I started working on the series- “Blotched Edifice” as a part of my final year BA project using haptic photo prints. These prints illustrated the experiences of workers at construction sites and the residents of neighbouring living spaces. The process involved photographing construction spaces, then printing the photographs on cartridge paper. This paper was then stained with concrete dust and corrosion resides found at the locations, effectively bringing the site’s conditions to life.

Later during my time in the UK, I came across work by Sunil Gupta. In his book ‘We Were Here: Sexuality, Photography, and Cultural Difference’ explores how non-heteronormative individuals are perceived to have an ‘alternate sexuality’. This perception led me to use a large format camera. The camera’s traditional image-making process involves developing film sheets into standard prints. Any deviation from this process is considered ‘alternative’. Using a large format camera caused me a dysphoria of orientation, as lines converged and focus blurred. The resulting pieces are fluid in terms of identity. The darkroom paper I used by @opencallindia

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2 months ago

Work feels like fun when you’re surrounded by the right people. 🤍 Community is, after all, about giving and receiving love. May we all find people who make us feel like we belong. 🤗

These little tokens of love mean so much to me.
@vivekr.singh 🤗

Thank you @vivekr.singh for this beautiful present.

‘Following Light’ is a photo zine by Hunny Awatramani (@hunnyawatramani) that explores the graphical elements found in nature through the language of light. This series focuses on the shapes, lines, and patterns formed as sunlight filters through surfaces, creating fleeting moments of abstraction. The way light carves its path, bending and reshaping the ordinary, never ceases to amaze me- turning the familiar into something entirely new.

Grateful to know all these amazing photographers and to learn so much from them. 🙏🏼🤗 taken in Mumbai, Maharashtra by @opencallindia

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2 months ago