Inter-disciplinary artist Sharada Eswar shares her story
Credit to Author: Ramya Ramanathan| Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2020 03:52:34 +0000
Sharada Eswar refers to herself as an inter-disciplinary artist with roots in India. Writer, storyteller, singer and arts educator, her work spans across multiple disciplines and art forms. A graduate in Literature Studies, she has trained to be a writer and a storyteller and has also immersed herself in several styles of music including Indian classical music. Prior to moving to Canada, Eswar has had the opportunity to represent India at various international cultural forums.
Since her move to Canada in 2001, Eswar has been performing and teaching in Toronto and internationally, drawing on her South Asian ancestry and heritage. Through the Artist in Education program of the Ontario Arts Council, she teaches storytelling through shadow puppetry and music in schools, and narrative writing for the Toronto District School Board’s International Languages Program. Most recently, Eswar was with the Art Gallery of Ontario as a Community Activator. She is also a published children’s author.
Tell us about your work.
Storyteller, writer and vocalist, I effortlessly combine the three worlds of art. My work synthesizes the stories, legends, the folklore and the mythologies and aesthetics of India and the eclectic influences of the world we live in. My work reflects the hybridity of our lives and transcends borders of culture, religion and ethnicity.
How has moving to a new country impacted your journey as a storyteller?
As a storyteller and writer, working with children and youth, I am constantly faced with the challenge of engaging audiences’ minds, redefining my boundaries as a storyteller and an artist and exploring new artistic directions. My personal vision of storytelling is continually inspired by tradition. Tradition is the cornerstone for the creation and practice of my art, and it will always be the touchstone for the art I create and perform. However, the demographics of my audience is heterogeneous and at times largely Eurocentric. Which means, my work needs to be relevant and accessible to everyone. As a storyteller therefore, I have had to strive to reflect a contemporaneity that makes my storytelling Indian in technique but at the same time universal in context.
What are you currently working on?
At any given time, I have at least two or three projects on the go (I guess those are the perks of being a freelance artist! Or is that the hazard?!). I am currently in Stratford with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, working as a Directorial Dramaturg on a play (Two Gentlemen of Verona) directed by Peter Hinton. I am also facilitating artistic workshops for a Newcomer Project that will culminate in an exhibition during the Luminato Festival in June 2020; writing two plays that are supported by Soulpepper Theatre; and also working with Whynot Theatre and Shaw Festival on their production of the Indian Epic, The Mahabharata.
What inspires you the most?
Stories and people inspire me the most. Community and stories are very intertwined for me. In my own personal life, stories have always been how I have experienced the world: made and found meaning, dealt with and responded to the extraordinary and ordinary things. It’s a sense of the importance of hospitality and not having or creating barriers or eliminating categories between people.
What key challenges did you have to overcome?
I believe that everyone has their journey and everyone has their struggles. I had been working in multi-national advertising agencies before I moved to Canada and thought it would be easy getting into one of them, but I never got past the front desk. I would constantly be asked if I had Canadian experience… till today I haven’t understood what that has meant. So that’s when I started creating my own work and here I am today happy that I made that choice.
Can you share a special memory about Canada?
Catching my first snowflake! I had never seen snow in my life before and the joy of seeing the first snowfall is something I will never forget. Even after all these years it holds the same magic for me.
What is your advice to newcomers?
Don’t let others tell you how to tell your story. Take control of your narrative!