Even as cinephiles of Kolkata were drawn to the recently-concluded Kolkata International Film Festival, what further enchanted them was the screening of art cinema on an autorickshaw – a concept introduced by a French artiste, and hosted in the city by the Alliance Francaise du Bengale, as part of Bonjour India.
The project is about showcasing contemporary art films to communities that have little access to artworks in India, a situation prevalent in remote regions, and underprivileged communities. It also aims to reach out to a wider audience in the public space through a permanent but mobile artwork.
Four thematic programmes from art films collection from the Fonds régional d’art contemporain Occitanie Montpellier (France), and Fonds Municipal d’Art Contemporain de Genève (Switzerland) were offered to the general public and art lovers for three days at the Park Mansion courtyard.
The artiste behind the concept, Le Gentil Garçon aka The Nice Guy, is considered ‘enfant terrible’ of the French art scene. He explores various mediums including drawing, sculpture, installation, performance, video, etc. His work is shown internationally and since 2006, he has also been chosen several times to design artworks for public art commissions.
The Rick-Show project is developed in partnership with the department of design of the College of Architecture Trivandrum (CAT). A team of professors and students are responsible for the design and production of the artwork under the guidance of the artist who intervenes on a distance mode from France.
Nicolas Facino, the director of Alliance Française du Bengale, said, it was a great opportunity to organize Rick-show. “We aim to bring a mélange of heritage identity and French ambiance to the heart of the city. The courtyard of Park Mansions had become the house for art and film lovers for three consecutive evenings beginning April 29.”