Tushar Joag (1966 – 2018) lived his life as an engaged artist-citizen, locating art as a tool of social and political change, and embedded in real life. Describing himself as a public intervention artist, Joag is arguably one of the pioneers of public art in India through which he honed his guerrilla-like performative actions in the public sphere.
Locating his practice through aesthetics and politics, Joag investigated the geopolitical paradigm of his time, particularly economic liberalization and global capital. He aligned with persuasive subaltern movements that critiqued policies of both the state and capitalist regimes. At the same time, he was aware of his caste, class and gender privileges which extended his quest to understand hegemonies both at home and the world. He co-founded the Open Circle (1998-2008) with the firm belief that art is for people hence collaborated with a range of thinkers and practitioners from other fields at the World Social Forum, Mumbai (2004). He curated exhibitions, performances and social actions within the context of free exchange of ideas and proposals for better governance which functioned through activist modes of protest and resistance in
read more
