Silk River
News
Celebrating the relationship between communities along the Thames and India’s Hooghly River
Tuesday, 7 March, 2017Bath Spa University has collaborated with renowned arts organisation Kinetika on the Silk River project as part of Her Majesty the Queen’s UK-India Year of Culture.
The UK-India Year of Culture is a year-long programme to mark the 70th anniversary of Indian independence alongside the continuing cultural relationship between the UK and India.
Silk River is an ambitious project, developed in partnership with Kinetika by Bath Spa University’s Mike Johnston, as a part of his research project, and explores the relationship between London and the capital of India’s West Bengal state, Kolkata. The project will explore the unique relationship between the two cities through an artistic exchange between the two communities along the Thames Estuary and India’s Hooghy River.
Silk River aims to raise cultural awareness of the Indian-British relationship in 40 locations in total; 20 locations between Murshidabad to Batangar (Hooghly) and 20 in London, from Kew Gardens to Southend (Thames).
The project culminates in September – December this year with two river walks where the stories of the 40 locations will be revealed to local, national and international audiences through the showing of 20 giant hand-painted Bengali silk scrolls and accompanying performances.
Mike Johnston, Senior Lecturer in Film and Creative Production, one of the creative forces behind Silk River, said: “For me, Silk River represents the culmination of my research and practice over the last few years. It brings together my digital production skills and place-making on a transnational stage. Without the support of Bath Spa University I wouldn’t have been able to take such a prominent role in the project.”
Bath Spa University is a one of a number of partners working with of Kinetika. Other companies who are contributing to the project are Arts Council Englad, UKIN 2017 and the British Council.