Profile of John Devraj

J O H N D E V A R A J - Curator of Kala Soudha's Art Gallery Space

Born to Royan Anthony Devaraj and Jayamma Thomas
21 2nd cross GH layout , 3rd Block jayanagar,Bangalore 560011 India
Mo 0091~09886306366 johndevaraj@gmail.com www.bornfreeart.org

Formal Education in Civil Engineering
Practicing Sculptor, Painter, Architect, Cinema and stage Art Director, Musician, Film Maker, Photographer, play Wright, Actor, Puppeteer Facilitator and Consultant for culture, youth and children’s organization and events.
Sculptor, Painter
Created sculptures and art action, workshops in Austria, Hungary, Germany, Czech republic, Norway, Netherlands, Yugoslavia, France, USA, UK, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore,
Portugal,..Lectured and held art exhibitions extensively in the US, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary Including carving of a 25feet tall antifascist monument in Murzsteg, Austria. along with refugee children from Yugoslavia.
Created a mural with earth and water brought from 60 countries in the UN, New York in 1999 with child soldiers, Young voices in the UN, for the study and presentation of Garcia Machel
~ The Impact of Armed conflict on children.
Created 18 public monumental sculptures in the city of Bangalore, and Mumbai.
Held over a 1000 exhibitions all over the world many on the streets of south India, in an effort to take Art to the people.
Created public monumental sculptures with thousands of people especially children participating to create symbols of peace, friendship, freedom, education through collective actions..
Created the worlds largest painting 370 X 280 ft to the children of Pakistan , which read
Dear Children of Pakistan let us join hearts in friendship to create a new world, signed by one million children in India and Pakistan.
Son of Michelangelo Held Ceramic sculpture exhibition at Oloumuc Czech republic.

Architect
Endeavoring to build cost effective housing and develop Child Architecture. Specializing
In Mud and stone Architecture.
Designed and built the Born Free School in Bangalore rural along with over a thousand Children and youth from 25 schools and colleges and 15 countries. Researching and developing the idea of a Mudgloo house {a house of mud} Based on the traditional Indian akadas ~wrestling academy

Cinema and stage Art Director,
Created sets and stage for major theatrical performances, dance and music events
Art director for Malgudi Days popular Television Serial of RK Narayan for its 56 episodes, shot on 35mm film format,{ English and Hindi}
Art director for feature films all of which received National Awards, Kubbi matthu Iyala {Kannada}, Mane {Hindi}, Muthina hara{Kannada}, Harikeya kuri{Kanada},
Hagalu Vesha{Kannada}, Nakkala Rajakumari{Kannada, Children’s Movie}hagalu Vesha {kannada} iyerkai{ Tamil}
Made a 19 minute film on mime A day in a workers life 1992
Made Documentary film The Writing on the wall 57minutes received special mention in the International Documentary film festival in Trivandrum, in 1993
Made a six minute silent film Basha the lion heart for the Lahore International film festival in 2001.
Made a documentary film of the ballet Spartacus returns.
Made documentary History Expedition bicycling 4040kms in Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu
Made Comedy film as Silent non violent communication film.three stories of Che ~ Che
1 Bonda Boy, 2 Mane Bootha 3 The Ragged dancer
Ananda ~an ode to Joy Created full length feature film
~ Ananda an ode to Joy~http://youtu.be/KEn4CyuJTCA
Show red Card to Child Labor, Just a minute film on child labor

Under construction cinema
Prophets of Peace, on the potential III world war
Hells Angels~ on the politics of exclusion and Dalit untouchability.
The Twins on the Secret of Child Labour
The Rainbow~ Full length feature film on the children of the mines.

Musician
Lyricist, composed played and made Eight music albums
1~Anthem of the ants, 2~Born in Gondwanaland 3~Spartacus returns. 4~Many hearts one soul, 5~Yelli Yedelli{ translations of world classics.,} 6~Songs of freedom, 7~Dance for Liberation.8 Heiwa Zou resha

Photographer,
Created over 25 000 pictures and held exhibitions in Austria, Hungary, Germany, USA, UK, Yugoslavia and India.
Conceptualized the OLAL ~Of Legacies and Legends a photographic project to create
Child Historians and to record dreams and aspirations of Working and street children.
Through 100 workshops in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Lokomanya Tilak Express 2004 August, a photographic exhibition of children on the train from Bangalore to Mumbai.
I’m Homeless~ photographic Images of Homeless people around the world
God is great, Trees are greater Photographic images of trees of the Angkor wat temple

Playwright, Actor, Puppeteer
With a motive of Education through Entertainment and entertainment through education,
Created fantasy puppet dance dramas,
Gondwana Gondwana involving gigantic moving dinosaurs stilt walkers,40 minutes
Children of Gondwanaland on the issue of Working and street children and Literacy.45 minutes
Krishnappa lives again on the acceptance of AIDS afflicted people in society.25 minutes
The Crucifixion of the Mahathma, a short play on the killing of Graham Staines
Lion and the Hunter pantomime on the history of people 7 minutes.
Dharma Pantomime dance using Kalari folk form on religious wars and what is Peace. 12 minutes.
Take my wings and Fly on hunger and freedom 5 minutes
The kite a mime dance on Freedom 12 minutes
The Star on the issue of Materialism and Humanism mime 10 minutes.
The Peasant mime on the question of Suicides Farmers in India 10 minutes.
Black and white dance on the issue of peace and violence two faces of the same coin
Spartacus returns a grand musical spectacle on the issue of the liberation of the Modern Slavery
~ the working and street children.120 minutes involving `140 actors.
Shiroi Hana~an twentysix minute powered packed ballet on the Nuclear Holocaust of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Heiwa Zou Resha ~ 90 minutes spectacle. A circus Dance Theater Musical on Environment ~children, war and Peace.
Performed 30 shows across Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki at Ground Zero, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Tokyo

Facilitator and consultant for culture, youth and children’s organization and events
Founder and Artistic Director of Janothsava a peoples cultural organization from 1983
Made up of professionals, Students, Youth and children, with a special composition of street and working children. Performed hundreds of shows to more than a million people face to face,
The Aesthetic philosophy of the Theater of the Ragi ball eaters{ a millet from south India} is to create not white not black but the beautiful brown color of all the people of the world to create a humane egalitarian society free of hunger and strife. To take up the cause of education and literacy through Art.
Organized the Oceans of Joy a festival of peace, which takes place every year in December.
The stage is made available to all those who would like to make an artistic statement on peace.
Led a 50 member performing group to create Gondwanaland and staged 30 shows across Austria, Hungary and Germany. Head Organizer of the United Games of Nations In India whose theme is
“If man can Create conditions for war he is also capable of creating conditions for peace” It is an annual children’s and youth exchange to build bridges of trust and friendship through non competitive games and dialogue.
Conducted workshops in Bangalore for Korean, Italian,Japanese. Singaporean, Youth delegations.
Artistic Facilitator for the first Millennium congress of Youth in Hawaii wherein 1000 youth from 250 countries met in 1999.
Facilitator with a performance at the first Global Congress of Child Laborers held at Florence from
the 10th to 13th May 2004 in which 1500 children from 55 countries participated.
Founder Director of Artists United, a professional Art action collective.
Founder, Artistic Director of Bornfree Art School International, Bangalore, teaching sculptures, drawing, painting, theater, music, dance, photography and videography. August 2005~
Peaceboat, a cruising peace mission. Conducted Art workshops, on the 56th and 59th voyage for a 1000 passengers and lectured in the Global university on board. Ref www.peaceboat.org.
Peacebycycle : Led a team of 30 children cyclists from Bangalore to Lahore on the theme From Bangalore to Lahore one ore one heart for Peace and friendship with the people of Pakistan covering a distance of 2800kms.

Check for more details in Google search by typing

John Devaraj, or John Devraj
http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/103229-john-devaraj
Peacbycycle~http://youtu.be/gXg8CHDQClc
Ananda an ode to Joy~http://youtu.be/KEn4CyuJTCA
Worlds Largest love letter/
History Expedition
Peacebycycle. India
Ananda an ode to joy~on Youtube
Show red card to Child labour ~on Youtube.

La Frida Shanthi has come a long way (from http://www.b-bc-news.info)

A REPORT ON THE RECENT PHOTO EXHIBITION AT KALA SOUDHA

BANGALORE: This year, the theme of the World Anti-Child Labour Day may be hazardous child labour, but here is a girl who actually suffered as a child labourer working in a hazardous industry and has now turned a photographer all set to exhibit her first photography exhibition on Sunday.

La Frida Shanthi who hails from Pune says that she lost her parents when she was too young to remember. “I was roaming on the streets and one fine day, I moved to Bangalore in a train,” she tells. later, she was duped by a stranger who took her to Tamil Nadu where she was pushed to work in silk yarn industry.

Frida explains that she was told to boil silkworms. “There was a huge vessel full of silkworms. I was told to stir and boil those worms. many times, the boiling water used to spill and it burnt my hands.

There are many instances where my hands got blisters because of this,” she remembers her tragic past. all she used to get is one meal which was not sufficient.

She was not given any money.

Frida ran away from the place as she thought she could not work there anymore.

She then came to Bangalore and one day, saw the Bornfree van. Bornfree was then organising painting, clay model making and photography workshop for street children. “I just joined and found interesting,” she said.

Later, Frida choose photography and now she is all set to exhibit her photography skills on Sunday. Her photography which focuses on child labour will be exhibited at K H Kalasowdha, Hanumanthanagar.

A photo exhibition by Mioi Nakayama from Bornfree Art School will be showcased as well.

La Frida Shanthi has come a long way

Special Rent Rate Notice

Dear Kala Soudha Patrons,

It gives us great pleasure to let you guys know that we have done 70 bookings of our auditorium from the time we began in mid January 2010, thanks mainly to you people who were instrumental in getting us going. Encouraged by this and also to enthuse more people to come and perform we have reduced the weekday rentals to 3000 rupees. Please read the enclosed press release for further information. 

Please note that the press release would go to press only by 10 August and the head start is for all of you who have supported us with your bookings before others did.

Regards,

Sathish


PRESS RELEASE


Kala Soudha becomes more affordable. Reduces Rent for New Releases


Kengal Hanumantiah Kala Soudha in Hanumanth Nagar is now available for rent of 3000 Rs. on weekdays (Monday to Thursday)

10 August 2010: Kengal Hanumantiah Kala Soudha popularly known as  KH Kala Soudha has now become the hub of cultural activities in south Bangalore. It has been leased out to Fourth Corner Consultants from BBMP in January 2010. With more than 70 performances in past six months in Drama, Dance, Music and Movies Kala Soudha is now part of the cultural map of Bangalore. With the growing trend of performances and keeping in mind the financial limitations of performing arts the management at Kala Soudha has decided to reduce the daily rent for the next six months (till January 20, 2011) to Rs. 3000 from the existing Rs. 5000 for an performance of 100 minutes. Detailed rules are available on the auditorium website at www.khkalasoudha.org or you could mail us at khkalasoudha@gmail.com or call our office at 080-64505457 & 9880487682.

The reduced rent will be applicable on all weekdays that is from Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Weekends that is Friday, Saturday and Sunday will continue to attract a rent of Rs. 5000 per day. These rentals will be revised on January 15, 2011 and the management at Kala Soudha expects all from performing fraternity to make use of this opportunities.

Sihi Kahi Chandru the Chief Advisor of KH Kala Soudha said “I am thrilled to announce that Kala Soudha is now the much needed relief for young talents to showcase their art and an excellent alternative performance space for the culture rich Bangalore city.  With the reduced rent we welcome the performing art fraternity to come and make full use of this vibrant venue. This cost reduction should take off a major chunk of budgetary constraints and financial burden for any performing group” he added.

P D Sathish Chandra the Director of the facility felt that “it’s evident that more than 60% of the bookings in past six months have been done by the young creators. This has been our goal to set up a stage and start Kala Soudha. With the reduced rent we are looking at more of our bookings to go to enthusiastic youth who are the future cultural ambassadors of our heritage”. He continued talking about future plans that “Kala Soudha will soon have its home production which is created to pull masses back into theatre, it is based on a famous movie and its original novel all set to start a new trend. The project should take final shape by end of this month” he concluded.

About Kala Soudha
The auditorium has 300 seating capacity and has centralised AC. It also hosts facilities like in-house lighting, cat walk, balcony seating & handicap access (three level access), spaces for book store, café and a 2300 sq. ft. art gallery space. With ample parking around the Ramanjaneya Temple of this auditorium hosts a 200 KVA Generator for uninterrupted performance experience. The auditorium is open for public performances and details could are on the website www.khkalasoudha.org or email on khkalasoudha@gmail.com

Contact for media: Sathish Chandra PD – 9845031413
Agency Contact: Saleela Kappan – 9980188938