Art and Place
Arts in the Humanities

Seeking Nila, a week-long experiential art trial studied the river culture of the Nila River in Kerala. This unique expedition was a coming together of walking, exploring history, and creating art. The river was explored as an organism from whose existence, the people & region assume their identity. Various crafts, traditions, and communities that flourish upon the river bank were studied and their significance to the cultural ethos of the region was unpacked. 

Cities are organisms that assume new personalities with the passage of time. Old gives way to new and the ancient stand as sentinels of a time gone by. Understanding this history lurking around veiled corners might help build balanced perspectives on development, surroundings, conservation, and heritage. Little City Trails is about exploring nooks and corners of our city; spaces that have retained the warmth of the old even while making way for the new. Through our walks, we focus on archaeology, architecture, art, gastronomy, history, houses and gardens, literature, and culture. Little City Trails sensitises children to the local flavours, heritage & history of the city they call home. This unique coming together of walking, exploring the history and creating, helps children understand urban existence better. It is also an effective means of building ownership and care for the city. We have run over 15 trails exploring the city of Bangalore so far. Methodology Each Trail is pursued over 6 days. The first 3 days are utilised for city walks. Various cultural locations are visited during the walk to capture the ethos of the theme. The final 3 days are used to develop prototypes of the exploration using art.