‘Our parents are part of this public. They defend their high-flying sons’ and daughters’ decision to live and work in America with the excuse, “Where is the scope here?” But they expect artists to live here flying the flag of Indianness and creating moth-eaten art. This changes when we are invited abroad. Then suddenly our work gains value. Not a single one of our parents has bothered to ask why we do what we do. How then can we expect you, the public, to do so?’

Kruttika returns to her seat. Her group and many of the college students applaud. So do Ashesh, Anima and a few other artists. It is time now for the invited artists on the floor to respond. Pancholi calls first upon Ashesh to speak. ‘We are running out of time so this will be the only response from an artist before we throw the discussion open to the floor. Ashesh Joshi is not known to say much in public. Those who know him will be surprised that he has agreed to speak here.’

Ashesh stands up, studies the lines on his right palm, takes a deep breath, looks up and begins. ‘A point was raised earlier about beauty. The idea of beauty has been of deep concern to philosophers in the East and the West. Although the art of the East is different from the art of the West, philosophers from both worlds have linked the idea of beauty with the idea of truth. We use the word beauty very loosely. We define it as a quality that pleases the senses. By that definition truth is not beautiful.

‘The other word we tend to use loosely is modernity. We must guard against confusing this term with modernism. Democracy, a scientific temper, tolerance, liberalism, freedom of thought, equality, human rights, et cetera are expressions of modernity. As I see it, these are at the root of the work that Ms Jathar and her colleagues are doing. Modernism, as practised by Le Corbusier, belonged to a certain historical time and receded with that time. But while rejecting modernism as an outdated aesthetic, we cannot reject the works that modernists produced. They have contributed enormously to our culture.

‘Lastly, I wish to make a statement about the responsibility of the artist. A single line from the Dnyaneshwari puts it succinctly: “Our dialogue is with ourselves.” We forget our responsibility when we conduct a dialogue with the market and copy ourselves to keep our place there. This risk can present itself to the artist at any point of time in his career. He must see the risk and be prepared to question himself all over again. Who am I today? What do I want to say today? Do I have the language and the tools to say it? If his answers to these questions suggest a new path, he must have the courage to follow it. To do that is to be an artist.’