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Mangalore Art & Archival Project
Exploring life, ideas and practices
As humans, our connection to the landscape we inhabit is intrinsic. Every aspect of our existence, from language to culture and belief systems, is intricately woven into the fabric of the landscape. The very geography upon which we built carries echoes of history and the narratives of bygone eras, serving as silent chroniclers of the past and bearing witness to the lives and stories of those who came before us. Within the folds of this physical space, myths, legends, fables, and folktales intertwine.
An initiative of Art Kanara Trust and the INTACH Mangaluru Chapter, the Mangalore Art & Archival Project aims to map the city of Mangaluru and the coastal districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod in Kerala. The project delves into their histories, memories, socio-cultural overlaps, and linguistic diversities, with the goal of constructing a collective archive and providing a platform to encourage dialogue exchange while retaining historical consciousness.
Documenting the people, places, history and culture
We seek to encourage young creative practitioners to foster a dialogue with their immediate surroundings, and draw out new meanings and associations within the current socio-political conditions; to bridge their fleeting present with habitual structures of the past, and anticipations for a future.
And the best way to map the complexities of human endeavor is to document them as they are, listen to the oral stories, and click on those lived moments with no inhibitions or prejudices, keeping in mind not to harm or distract from the realities of life and those one-of-a-kind practices.
The MAAP Collective
We are a collective of like-minded professionals—artists, architects, researchers, and curators—we undertake curatorial and publishing projects by encouraging personally relevant works that reveal evidence of exploration reflecting culture and historicity.
Kodialguthu Center for Art & Culture
We operate from the mogasale of the Kodialguthu Heritage House, a landmark structure in Mangalore which is more than 250 years old. It is now being used as an art and culture center, a gallery and exhibition space, a seminar hall, as well as a studio and workspace.
To know more about Kodial Guthu, click here for a story by Sharon dSouza
INTACH Mangaluru Chapter, Art Kanara Trust, Gramavidya Mangaluru Centre, S-Cube Art Gallery and Mindcraft Studios are operated from within this house.
THE COLLECTIVE
INTACH
Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (Mangaluru Chapter)
The INTACH was founded in 1984 in New Delhi with the vision to spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India. Today INTACH is recognized as one of the world’s largest heritage organizations, with nearly 200 chapters across the country. Headquartered in New Delhi, it operates through various divisions such as Architectural Heritage, Natural Heritage, Material Heritage, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Heritage Education and Communication Services (HECS), Crafts and Community Cell, Chapters, INTACH Heritage Academy, Heritage Tourism, Listing Cell and Library, Archives and Documentation Centre.
Art Kanara Trust
Non-Profit Organisation and the Publishers
A registered non-profit organization founded to impart arts and cultural activities and educational programs in and around the erstwhile South Canara districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Kasaragod. It promotes self-directed, small-scale research projects through documentation of the local arts and heritage that explore people, places, histories, and practices within these regions.
The Trust is a collective effort by a group of artists, researchers, and architects, working closely with art practitioners and young art enthusiasts and reaching out to the public through curatorial projects, exhibitions, and publications.
S-Cube Art Gallery
Art of the coast and beyond
Established in 2014, S-Cube gallery has relocated to the Kodialguthu Center with its collection of paintings, drawings, graphics and sculptures. It promotes artists from within the coastal districts and beyond who wish to showcase their works. In addition to this, the gallery also accepts orders for customized public installations and commissioned works to meet architectural and interior needs.
Mindcraft Studios
Curators & Publication Designers
Mindcraft Studios is a space dedicated to the visual arts and design. As a collective of like-minded professionals, we undertake curatorial and publishing projects by encouraging personally relevant works that reveal evidence of exploration reflecting culture and historicity. As a platform for lens-based practices and creative writing, we deliver art educational programs and have been engaging closely to inspire and support those with an interest in building their careers in the arts and cultural sector.
To reach out to the young creative community, we offer project-based internship opportunities for students of visual arts, architecture, literature, and communication and further encourage them to work with professionals to help expand their skills in studio practice, research, and writing.
Gramavidya
Voluntary Organization for Research and Dissemination of Alternative Technologies
Based in Bengaluru, Gramavidya is a voluntary organization for research and dissemination of alternative technologies promoted by a group of professionals, academicians, scientists and technologists with dreams about creation of self-reliant and sustainable livelihoods through alternative, environment friendly appropriate technologies. Promoters of Gramavidya are partners in the development of alternative and energy efficient construction technologies in the country over the last three decades and they have been popularizing various other energy saving devices for household and small rural industries throughout the country.
The Mangaluru center is the only extension of Gramavidya.
OUR INITIATIVES
The MAAP
Mangalore Art & Archival Project
The Mangalore Art/ Archival Project seeks to map the city of Mangalore and dig into its histories, memories, socio-cultural overlaps and linguistic diversities, with an aim to build a collective archive and a platform to encourage the exchange of dialog and retain a historical consciousness.
Art Kanara Magazine
Online culture and lifestyle magazine
Art Kanara Magazine is an online culture and lifestyle magazine founded to promote self-directed, small-scale research projects that explore people, places, histories, and the practices of the Tulu-speaking districts.
A platform for young creative minds, the magazine supports writers, artists and photographers who have developed an inclination for storytelling and narrating experiences; and further invites ideas and articles from those with a passion for art, culture, history, photography and writing.
artkanaramagazine.wordpress.com
Photostory Contest
The Under30 Photostory Contest is dedicated to photo stories of people and their lifestyles. A platform for young visual artists, photographers, photojournalists and creative writers, this contest will feature stories of local inhabitants and stories from all over.
The photo story contest serves the significant purpose of collecting submissions that effectively portray various aspects of communities and aims to capture the essence of built spaces that exemplify the dynamic and diverse linguistic, religious, and cultural fabric of the region. The focus lies on documenting the people, places, history, and culture primarily within Coastal Karnataka and Malenad districts, and the Kasaragod district of Kerala.
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themaap.wordpress.com 
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