In music, the tune of excessive sound with excitement will provide temporary pleasure and thrill; even the lyrics with the extreme glorification of self or section of people in terms of gender, social status, or social importance of a particular community will enable the listener to enjoy subjective emotions and at times prejudice toward the others. The only positive aspect of loud and fast music is extreme hilarity. Usually, this kind of outburst will hamper the mind of the listeners and lead to intolerance and chauvinism. On the other hand, slow music is soothing and allows a steady concentration and lasting impression on the listeners. Moreover, the lyrics of slow music are always suitable for romance, tragedy, merriment and all sorts of positive emotions. Moreover, slow music provided enormous space for values and ideals of humane expression.
In visual art, excessive exposure to vulgarity, violence, and misery may divert the attention of the viewers to criminal indulgence and encourage prejudice. However, moderate exposure to decency, sorrow, and despair will motivate compassion, sympathy and tolerance. For example, a nude picture may represent simplicity or vulgarity depending upon the creator of the image; the bloodshed of people may represent compassion or hostility depending upon the creator of the image.
Even certain so-called patriotic songs are subjective in nature with elements of allegiance to a particular native and intolerance towards the neighbours and fellow human beings, which at times may be branded as enemies. What is extremely positive to one community, may be negative to another. This is the order of the day, the so-called survival of the fittest; the supremacy of the intelligent over the wise, the clever over the simple, the natural over the artificial, excellent education over ethical values, the authority over the subjects, the famous over the obscure, the corporate class over the working community, the invaders over the colonies, the modern technology over the ancient folk knowledge, the organic over the synthetic, the bondage over freedom and so on and so forth.
Music and visual art have the capability to drive and motivate people toward a positive or negative direction in life depending upon the individual choice. The freedom of individual choice is the foundation of the right or wrong path in life, irrespective of whether the journey is good or bad. A good trip may lead in the wrong direction and a bad trip may lead in the right direction; nothing like it if a good trip leads to the right direction and miserable if a bad trip could lead to the wrong direction. The impression of being good or bad depends upon the perception of an individual person and the subsequent result. A nude picture may be perceived as a sexual orientation or symbol of innocence. An image of bloodshed may be perceived as compassion towards the victims that are human or vengeance against the enemies that are human as well. In the context of visual art, a nude picture is a reference for the actual understanding of the anatomy of a human figure; and further study of the structure can identify the skeletal frame in relation to the movement of each body part.
It is these elaborate and analytical studies of human body structure and human behaviour that have transpired further research on ethnology, sociology, anthropology, psychology, philosophy and even theology. Through the detailed studies of these sciences of humanity that scholars and academicians realised the emergence and evolution of folk culture, the growth of cultural tradition and the progress of civilisation. In each of these stages of studies, creativity is involved and requires minute refinement of the application and the outcome of maturity and excellence. This is a fine art that has segmented the various stages of folk art, contemporary art and classical art. Even with such a complex endeavour of creativity and distinction, there are still inadequacies and failures in certain development of human innovation and discovery. Therefore, the concept of postmodernism has appeared as an instrument to recollect the past, rejuvenate organic resources and restore the legacy of ancient wisdom.
On the other hand, there is also a liberal art expression that contains factual images about society without responsibility towards the masses that might create repercussions and consequences, which could be detrimental to society. At the same time, those practitioners of liberal arts claimed to represent public opinion but behaved in an elitist manner by formulating certain opinions to suit their interests without considering the universal context of the entire humanity. Therefore, in Khasi’s perception, liberal denotes ‘Laitlan’, which means an open mind without social responsibility; whereas freedom denotes ‘Laitluid’, which denotes an open mind with social responsibility. In the Khasi context freedom of expression is different from liberal expression. The advancement of technology has brought about tremendous changes in the entire social structure throughout the globe, where social media is the common platform for the highest class to the lowest strata in society. Even though there are no discrimination to the communication process; however, there is a universal consensus on the need to restrain certain random expression. It is difficult to draw a line between the admissible and the prohibited method of expression in public space and therefore a socially responsible statement without prejudice could be the viable and sensible mode of expression.
In the contemporary situation, there is a liberal expression that leads to violence and criminal indulgence that the civil authority is duty bound to contain with appropriate mechanisms; which also prevail alongside several undesirable moral enforcement with ulterior motives of the powerful aristocratic apparatus. This conflict is a natural and artistic expression is one medium that could address these contentious issues. This is because the socio-political system elsewhere in the world asserts exclusivity; while the indigenous ancient Khasi system endeavours for inclusion. However, the present situation in Khasi society is already contaminated with alien notions of social organisation, where on several occasions there are consecutive contradictions within the society. It is also significant to reiterate that the Khasi community is bereft of any visual content in folk art tradition.
The static or motion picture reflects the values of life in society; like humility, perseverance, generosity, honesty, and several such qualities that inspire human conduct and behaviour, with the motive to perform everything good and keep away from anything that will hurt an individual or society. To know the goodness is also necessary to understand the wickedness to abstain from it and to choose only the good things in life. The comparison is required in view of the fact that individual aspiration that could be detrimental to others is liable to be sacrificed for the sake of the collective welfare. Most people have the tendency to do something easier even if it might adversely affect others and sometimes selfishness overrides common interest and causes harm on both sides.
‘Where is the conflict? When there is no conflict at all’ is assumed that one local artist seems to echo his views on the art event held in the city. Shillong is a small town, but a cosmopolitan sphere to the core. The artist said ‘I don’t see any difference with the ambience of art space that prevailed elsewhere in the country and asserted that it is the same as in any metropolitan city in the country. He must have had multilayer impressions on the exposition ‘Eyeing Conflict: An Art Exhibition’ being held at Synod College as part of the International seminar “An Eye for an Eye: Conflict in SouthEast Asia” organised by the English Department of Synod College. On the other hand, another local artist stated ‘It gives us immense pleasure to have frequented Synod College, and it is for the fourth time this year for the sake of art. The people of the State and the local art fraternity owe immense gratitude to the administration and every stakeholder of Synod College, Shillong for giving a fillip to the local artists of Meghalaya. Perhaps, it is for the first time that local artists converged on a common platform for a serious discourse on art, contrary to the series of high-profile art festivals of the State government with limited content accompanied by the extensive extravagance of undesirable amusement and mockery. Even the apex authority on visuals in the country, Lalit Kala Akademi have never created such an impact on art in the region as much as the event “An Eye for an Eye: Conflict in South East Asia ” along with the exclusive art exhibition on the occasion.
Some of the leading figures on art in the State were caught unaware during the panel discussion moderated by Federick Donboklang Hynñiewta. Eyeing Conflict: An Art Exhibition is an attempt to gauge the contentious question ‘Does the art of regional or local artists really matter?’ at the discursive or thematic strengths. In a certain context, there is a ground reality on the attitude of the society toward art, where the so-called intellectuals prefer to stay away from the discourse on visual art due to the alleged notion of sheer ignorance. The synthesis between the exponents and practitioners of literature, theatre, music and visual art is lacking on all fronts; and there is a need to synergise the creative impulse of everybody along with proper study, review, criticism and interaction on the entire gamut of creative expressions.
