RESEARCH & PRACTICE

My practice took its beginnings from wanting to understand my Indian heritage. Not so much a factual historical timeline but rather through fighting the impossibility of being able to fully understand a mindset of a different context to the western one I was born and raised in.

When my parents immigrated to the U.K in the 1960’s they brought with them an ideal of India. And as India continued to develop, this romanticised ideal is the one which was passed down to me. This is of course a common story amongst British born generations of immigrants. The dislocation of Indian culture naturally does not sit well with my British sensibilities. However it is these very sensibilities that I wish to challenge. If the western influence of my birthplace is embedded in my way of thinking and the physical mannerisms of my body, is it possible to retrain these ways of understanding the world with an Indian code.

Initially my research began with self imposed durational activities such as decorating my own body with pigments traditionally used in Hindu rituals. I was mainly interested in the engaging with these Indian signifiers through the one element of Indian culture which I find most interesting- the dedication of time to a ritual or discipline. This practice uncovered a need to address the physical aspect further.

About three years ago I began learning to play the Indian tabla drums. I am interested in this discipline as unlike the rituals and culture I have been taught previously, the structure and teaching methods in classical music remain unchanged from their beginnings. From the mannerisms and postures required, to the different rhythm structures, everything about it goes against the way my mind and body have been trained. It is said that to learn an Indian classical art form is to gain an insight into the very essence of Indian thought. Perhaps this then is a way for me to engage with my heritage.

In my practice I am looking to present some of the more pertinent elements of this training both through playing with and taking away the traditional exotic veneer. For example I am interested in using the mathematical rhythm structures which seem to form the backbone of classical Indian music and dance to inform both my own movements within a space or frame. This train of enquiry when in the practical stages evolves more and more into the study of communicating this or anything with an audience. I am interested in being able to have a connection. Particularly I am interested in creating a sensory, physical connection with an audience through integrating sound and visual elements in my practice.

I am currently researching with an academic department at the University of Nottingham a way to use the externalised live heartbeat within performance. This has many potential outcomes such as synchronising heartbeats of performers and/or audience members and using this tempo (irregular as it may be) as a way of communicating these rhythms from classical Indian music.

Though I am increasingly working more with live and video works I continue to work across different media as a way to challenge the way I work and how my work is experienced. Over the past two years I have been enjoying working collaboratively with practitioners from different disciplines. This I find is an essential way for me to continue this ongoing learning process.

Hetain Patel, December 2007