ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala: a “full building takeover” of Arts House

In celebration of Dalit History Month, ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala has taken over Arts House in diverse and immersive activation, delving into the history of castes, migration, gender, and sexuality through a series of exhibitions, screenings, and discussions until April 27.

Named after Devanooru Mahadeva’s book, ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala translates in Kannada to “from the depths of one’s being”.

Curated by Vishal Kumaraswamy, the series builds upon the explorations of ಒಕ್ಕೂಟ Okkoota, a multifaceted arts program presented by Arts House in April 2023.

“It’s very much about celebrating the fact that our lives aren’t always just about being associated with acts of violence or threats, but to actually make space for joy and celebration,” Mr Kumaraswamy told North West City News.

The activation began in March with a captivating photographic exhibition titled ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಣೆ nireekshane (translating to “the act of seeing”), as part of PHOTO 2024 and running until April 27.

On April 6, audiences gathered for a communal meal designed by artist Jagath Dheerasekara, which spoke to “the act of Inter-dining, the process of breaking down caste hierarchies in South Asia by dining together”.

Additionally, audiences are encouraged to explore various exhibition spaces within and outside of Arts House, with live performances on April 13 by Elyas Alavi and April 20 by Sajan Mani.

“It is free and open to all, and there are multiple points of engagement for people to come through where you don’t necessarily have to always engage with every single work in order to experience the exhibition,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.

You have the choice to kind of pick and choose what you want to engage with in a way that also is not transactional, there isn’t anything that’s being asked of the audiences.

Reflecting on Arts House as the hub for ಒಡಲಾಳ Odalala’s eight-week series, Mr Kumaraswamy underscored the importance of community to its message.

“A lot of the artists we have been working with also come from a range of diverse life-experiences, who are kind of making works that don’t often get kind of shown within a community space,” he said.

“It’s very much emphasising the kind of communities that are present across Melbourne today as well as in North Melbourne, and the histories that they share.” •