Arpitha RG

Arpitha is a visual artist trained from Bangalore University with an interest and commitment to the arts education projects. As a practicing artist she has showcased her work in many art shows. An understanding of the richness of cultural practices of communities coupled with the challenges faced by them, has led Arpitha to work on an arts education project in the Government Primary School, Ramalingapura, Shira Taluk, Tumakur District, where she teaches.  

As a visual arts practitioner and member of a marginalised community herself, Arpita finds it fascinating to study and document the food recepies of her community through comic strips and a community calendar. During interviews with community members, Arpitha and the 7^th standard students of the school will solicit stories, anecdotes, experiences and knowledge about their food practices, culinary skills, including hunting and harvesting activities, what parts of animals were eaten by men and women, relevance of various foods for various occasions and so on.

Keeping in mind the context, environment and the potential of the school, Arpitha predicts an intense engagement with the students, teachers and the larger community comprising of both young and older members. She will introduce them to a variety of visual art techniques and activities such as drawing, collage making, painting and comic making to explore their inner realities and express them creatively. They will create together a community calendar by documenting for each day a ‘recipe for the day’, and a series of comic strips in a graphic novel style on community food recipes. Arpitha will work with the students once or twice every week through the academic year. 

This grant was made possible with support from Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore and Citi India.