“Create under constraints”, “challenge your art practice”, “find your artistic self” – these are the goals and the meaning of the Art Fast project conceived and curated by interdisciplinary artist Jayanthi Moorthy.

Inspired by the ancient Hindu culture and its age-old religious and community practices, Jayanthi Moorthy does more than a month-long festivity. It’s a sincere and desperate effort to unite people of different cultures into an artistic community. It’s a call for artists to communicate, talk, and share.

Art Fast events

Art Fast aims at encouraging creative spirit within all participants. In order to inspire and challenge it, the workshops of Asian inspired philosophy are held throughout the city and include artist talks, dance lessons, collective work on making ephemeral installations which is Jayanthi Moorthy’s signature art practice. It unites creative people and allows them to express themselves in a friendly, casual atmosphere yet giving them a chance for a pop up gallery show. Last year the final event was held at A.I.R. Gallery, this time it happened at the Louise McCagg space at Columbia University. Unlike any other forms of pop up exhibits, Art Fast showcases a process rather than the end product. The participants present what, why, and how they were working on during the Art Fast, and it creates an interesting dialogue on art practice, creating under constraints, and the process involved.

Jayanthi Moorthy’s unconventional media: sand, rice flour, Indian spices

Reflecting on the Art Fast ideas, it appears that one of the hardest constraints we have is time. Finding time to meet up and share turns out to be one of the biggest challenges. Online activities conveniently replaced the real conversation when people literally meet and talk. As a creative leader, Moorthy tries to change this scenario and break the isolation. As she puts it, “Art Fast hopes to bring artists and creatives together and inspire one another through a shared cultural experience.”

The season for the Art Fast is Fall. It coincides with the Navaratri holiday in India when people celebrate creative energy. This year non-artists were also welcomed to participate in the Art Fast which emphasizes the idea of community building. And it means more than just making art: it gives the participants a chance to reflect on their creative self and try any new discipline or practice without being judged by critics or viewers. Isn’t it what we really need while rushing through the daily routine of our hectic and highly demanding lives? Give time to yourself, unleash your creative potential, reflect, and share. Be heard.

Artist Talk: Photographer Ajit Menon. Part of the Art Fast activities

Fashion Fasting workshop at A.I.R.Gallery

Workshop at Jayanthi Moorthy’s studio, Bushwick. Working with the spices, sand, flour as artistic media.