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@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:40

On Art and Activism: Vandita Sariya

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I freedom of expression, about inequality, about climate justice, and so much more. So, Vanessa, thank you so much for joining us today. I'm sure everybody is so excited to hear from you

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@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 0:18
Hi, Aishwarya. Thank you for having me. I'm very happy to be here. And thank you again for such a lovely introduction. However, I never call myself an artist or a poet. I just say that, you know, I write things, that I draw things, but very happy to be here
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@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:13
Hi Vandita. I think you just said something. That's a great place to start. You said you don't call yourself an artist or a poet. So how do you define your work? Are you just a person navigating this complex world
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@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 0:59
But there's a lot of overlapping as well. But there are social issues, there are gender issues, climate, as you had mentioned in the beginning. So there is not not just one straight path on which I choose to walk. There's just a lot happening. And I still don't know where it will go or what all has to be done. So, yeah, I can't define it. To answer your question
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@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:22
I'm noticing that a lot that drives you is not the medium as much as it's the issues that you strongly believe in. Tell us a little bit about what climate justice means to you. Since we have I've been talking about environmentalism a lot on this channel. Tell us a little bit about what climate justice looks like to you
@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 1:21
I mean, people who are not even aware of how climate change is affecting them and who had, say, the minimal or zero contribution to this entire crisis are the frontline victims of this entire fiasco. So it just varies a lot. The term climate, it's not that we're very simple, but what we can call it in one line, I told you already
@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:16
There have been a lot of conversations lately about individual responsibility versus holding some people with lots of power accountable. What's your opinion on this? What is your opinion on this? This whole debate
@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 1:07
That's why there is so much talk and there's so much attention and work going on in policy making and, you know, work that lobbies do and all of that. So it can't just be one
@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:28
Hi Vandita, I completely agree with you. I think we need to establish a middle ground in this debate and realize that we must share some responsibility. I mean, how much of the responsibility each person takes is, of course, up to the damage that they cause. But yeah, I completely agree with you. You coming to your art. I'm so curious to know your process
@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 1:36
So that's why I thought that maybe creating it in some way or the other and then talking about this will be more fun even for me to create and talk about it and for somebody who is consuming that content. And second, that when you do such stuff or art in general, it does not preach you. I mean, it leaves it on you to decide that maybe it's right or maybe it's wrong or it makes you think so
@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:26
Your work really is a reflection of the light hearted attitude you have towards it. I think some of the funniest things people create is born out of born out of curiosity. Like you said, I wish to know if you are working on anything currently. I noticed that you had attended a talk recently. Maybe something out of those ideas. What are you working on currently
@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 1:08
Currently I'm working on a video series, a small video series to make climate change more relevant to our everyday lives. It's still what I gather from when I talk to people is that, you know, it still seems, seems very distant. It does not feel immediate. So I'm just working on something to make it more relevant, to make it a part of our conversations. But still, it's very primary stage. I'm still just reading and writing
@aishwaryasunil_
Aishwarya Sunil
@aishwaryasunil_ · 0:18
Well, that sounds great and I'm really looking forward to the time it is created and I can do it and I wish you all the best for all your future endeavors. Thank you so much for joining me today. I've learned so much from our conversation and I'm sure everyone can see the same. Thank you and it's all for your time
@VanditaS
Vandita Sariya
@VanditaS · 0:10
Thank you Aishwarya thank you so much for your questions and your curiosity when it came to my work and really enjoyed talking to you as well. Thank you so much
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