MeshWorks

The East Goes South pilot version took place earlier this year in India originating in Kochi, travelling to Bangalore, then across the country to Delhi and finally culminating in Kolkata with a cohort of 6 artists, 3 producer curators and 4 witnesses from across India, UK and Africa. Everything that happens on a train journey happened during these long durational spaces : deep conversations, heart-led imaginings and connecting with each other as human beings and artists. Participants of this edition have shared their reflections on what it meant for them to be on this transcontinental and transdisciplinary journey. Here is a reflection from Deen Atger, curator and artist from the UK. EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 was supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @eastsoultrain and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists, Kolkata]

“We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.“ And boy did we get to know the place for the first time! Heartfelt gratitude, appreciation and love to @aryarothe @deen_atg @deen_o0 @katkkolkes @kiteloon @oyshter_ @snigdhaprabhakar as the artists on this adventure! None of it would be possible without @diyanise @popspowage @artsontop @adrijaamm And of course… The witnesses @sameera_iyengar @freestyle.artsinaction @gonguragangsta @visualcacophony & @ninadsamaddar A large team went on trains across the country to create something special @theurbantheatreproject with a beautiful concept massage @shoonyaspace prior to! EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @eastsoultrain and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab

WE'RE FULL HOUSE TOMORROW! The culmination of all the brainstorming and creative mixing of our Cohort will be presented in a showing tomorrow from 6pm onwards. 6 artists, 4 cities, 3 train rides all come together under one roof to give you a glimpse into our process, themes and prompts in a multidisciplinary format. EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @eastsoultrain and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists]

We meet in dreams and messy improvisations. I come to you with my practice, my seeds and my waste - longing for a witness that reflects these realities, I can no longer hold alone. You are invited. As the week-long exciting, serendipitous, heartfelt journey of EASTgoesSOUTH culminates in Kolkata, we are preparing to invite you into our process of exploring the many themes, ideas and prompts of this unusual trans-media transcultural residency. We look forward to seeing you on 6th April at 6 pm at The Urban Theatre Project. Click on the link in bio to register! EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @eastsoultrain and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists] #indoafrican #indoeuropean #collaboration #workinprocess #workinprogress #artistlife🎨 #artsresidency #residencyinatrain #trainjourney❤️ #artistsupport #processsharing #conversationaboutart

Day 1 was off to a intense start! Led by @diyanise 's embodiment exercise, the cohort is slowly and deeply reaching into ideas and playing. We cannot wait to see the unraveling the train brings to these ideas. Thank you @galleryoed and Dilip Narayan for opening up your evocative space to allied practices and communities in the arts with such grace. EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @off.track.collective and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab. [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists]

Last night was our first gathering and welcome dinner for our Cohort of 2025. We kicked off EASTgoesSOUTH with some great food, lovely introductions and hearty laughter. There's more to come! Stay tuned! 📷: @aryarothe

Putting together this little token of appreciation for our cohort has been so heartwarming a process for us all. Such incredible work by such incredible organisations! Kudos to @tri_crafts @ishwar_sankalp @bohemian_buddhist.art @shuvamguhahakurta @squaresandcircles.in for their lovely contributions to our goody bags!

Counting down the days as all the small bits and pieces of this project slowly come together. Cant wait to be in the same creative space as our cohort in about 3 days time!! Our brochure has been made with some fantastic pictures captured by our previous artists: @bwettephotography @lenagiovanazzi_ @yule_burlefinger @that_tanzanianguy @kharumwa @randomjoose Thank You shuvamguhathakurta and @squaresandcircles.in for the quickest and coolest turnaround for our brochures!

On this packed one week adventure, we have had the good fortune of being given spaces of rest, stop and landing. Shoonya Centre for Art and Somatic Practices has opened their doors to us - a welcoming and nurturing partner who has offered to be a temporary home, a workspace and a meeting ground with the local arts community. The interrogations, churning and dreaming on the train, will develop into in-progress projects that we hope to share with you all in Kolkata, our final destination. But before that we will stop at Shoonya and Delhi to feel into our ideas with the help of local artists. We are excited to be partnering with Shoonya and their founder, Thommen, one of Bangalore's major arts investors and part of a family that has honed many independent artist dreams in their luscious space. Thommen is also getting onboard the train with us as a witness and stakeholder and we cannot wait to have his responses and company on this trans-country, transmedia exploration. Follow us for the ensuing depth, madness and insight! EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @off.track.collective and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab. [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists]

As we journey from Kochi to Kolkata, with stops at Bangalore and Delhi, we are so lucky to have gracious and nurturing partners who have opened up their spaces for us to inhabit, work in and meet the city's communities. The immersive experiences and creative conversations on the train will develop into in-progress projects that we hope to share with you all in Kolkata, our final destination. We are excited to be partnering with @theurbantheatreproject in Kolkata for our final showcase of works in progress. The wonderful @ninadsamaddar is also one of our observers on the train and we cannot wait to have his insights on this trans-country, transmedia exploration. Kindly block your calendars: Sunday 6th April at 6pm*! We are so excited to share snippets of our adventure with our Kolkata friends. EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @off.track.collective and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab. [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists]

As we travel the landscape together, in a shaking and rattling train body, we become acutely aware of our own bodies. The train has history - How did it arrive in India? What stories do the tracks and routes carry ? And we have histories. The residency invites us to let these stories, pasts, presents and questions - merge, mix and fall into each other, to create new futures. A future built on art, creativity, curiosity and the deepest mutual respect. Follow us as we are moved and stilled on this unique train journey. After travelling accross East Africa, the residency finally sets foot on Indian soil. We could not be more excited for this pilot project. EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @off.track.collective and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab. [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists]

The narratives that are shaped through collaborations birthed on the train are supported and acknowledged by our witnesses who are accomplished creatives and ecosystem builders working in the intersection of curatorial, cultural, research and community-fostering practices. We are excited for you to meet our observers for the EASTgoesSOUTH journeys in India. Ninad Samaddar is a story seller based in India. He is the founder and Artistic director of The Urban Theatre Project, Calcutta and a member of the board of trustees to Flute Theatre, UK. He has been involved in various capacities in several national and international live theatre tours and shows like ‘Taj Express’. the bollywood musical produced by Yash Raj Films and ‘Monsoon Wedding’ the musical directed by Mira Nair for FIFA 2022. Shubham is an arts manager-producer, film curator and researcher. He has worked in films, art galleries, and performance spaces, taught media, managed grants and produced plays and exhibitions over the last 18 years. He curates and manages festivals. He was a Global Cultural Fellow at the IICR, University of Edinburgh. Thommen Ollapally is the Founder of Shoonya - Centre for Art and Somatic Practices, one of the first multi art spaces of its kind in Bangalore. He is passionate about creating vibrant, community-driven spaces that are inclusive and foster authentic self expression and meaningful connection. Sameera Iyengar is a creative producer and theatre professional passionate about using the performing arts to foster public discourse and critical thinking. Over the past two decades, she has expressed this vision at Prithvi Theatre and co-founded Junoon, an arts outreach organisation. Through festivals, collaborations, workshops, and exhibitions, she has championed cultural engagement. Her latest venture, Freestyle: arts in action, continues this work, building meaningful connections through the arts. EASTgoesSOUTH 2025 is supported by @millerzillmerfoundation , produced by @off.track.collective and @mesh_works in partnership with @artsforwardindia and @citizensofstage Co Lab. [EASTgoesSOUTH, Residency, Offtrack Collective, Artists, Witness]