Milon Mela is the fair of coming toghether.
Under the direction of Abani Biswas the on-going theatre project called Sources’ Research is active for the last 20 years, in Europe and in India.
The Sources’ Research performing activity is focused on Indian traditional techniques, the method of work and research comes from the experience of the "Theatre of Sources" directed by Jerzy Grotowski, in which Abani Biswas had collaborated from 1979 to 1983.
One of the main goals of the project is to make these ancient traditional techniques actively functioning in wider fields and for the benefits of contemporary artists.
The collaboration between Milon Mela and Ozu, which is based on the common intrest in traditional and contemporary arts, continues since summer 2007, with the organization of intensive workshops for students from “La Sapienza” University of Rome. Since 2009, the Indian group has also chosen OZU as hosting centre during their summer European tour. The collaboration is intensifying with the organization of additional workshops that are open to the public and will take place in OZU during the summer.

Today, in India, in the rural and tribal zones, there are artistic communities still active. For the traditional artists the creative expression represents a fundamental element of their personal lives and at the same time it communicates the values and needs of their communities. The life of these “cultural reserves” is constantly imperilled.
They are forgotten by the urban society, abandoned by the private and public cultural institutions, exploited and deformed by mass media for a purely commercial purpose.

Sources’ Research activities put forward an alternative to the existing situation in the area of specific Indian traditional performing arts. The method of work brings together representatives of different popular traditions of India.
Project activities create conditions and encouragement for the original and creative work of traditional practitioners. At the same time an opportunity is given to present their art in front of a wider public, both in more personal settings of work-sessions as well as performances and parades. This part of the project provides participating artists with material resources for them, for their families and communities.

Since 1990 Sources’ Research has its own work-centre “Theatre House” at Santiniketan (West Bengal), where every year, from November to February, residential work sessions are taking place.
More than 25 traditional artists are collaborating in the project and large number of participants from Europe and from other Countries have attended the winter sessions in India.

Click here to know more about traditional disciplines presented by Milòn Mèla masters and artists.
For more information contact us at  info@ozu.it

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