Traditional theatre to performance art
Theatre has for long been a vehicle for storytelling, emotional expression and social commentary. In recent years, however, the boundaries of theatre have expanded, allowing for more experimental, multidisciplinary forms of art. As an artist who blends theatrical dimensions with contemporary art practices such as performance art, video art, printmaking, and land art, my work highlights the fluidity between these realms and how theatre continues to evolve in the modern era.
For me, theatre is no longer confined to a traditional stage with scripted performances. Rather, it is about the exploration of space, live interaction with audiences, and the ability to challenge perceptions. My work frequently incorporates visual scripts, movement and sound, mirroring the live, dynamic nature of theatre. However, I have taken these elements beyond the proscenium arch to create immersive, often conceptual, experiences. In my work, theatre becomes a space where ideas and emotions collide in real-time, sometimes in unexpected and visceral ways.
One of the pivotal moments was when I first ventured into public performance, a form of art that involved the audience as both spectators and participants. This was a shift from the conventional staged performances to one that engaged with everyday people, much like the early street theatre forms such as nukkad nataks (street plays) in India. This proved to be an eye-opener. I began to realise how the audience, when made a part of the experience, could interact with the message and even influence the outcome.
In one of my performances, I created an installation using large sheets of carbon paper and cotton cloth, asking protesters to strike the cloth with stones. The marks made by the stones on the cloth were symbolic of the violence in protests. The imprints represented the scars that violence leaves on both the environment and the people involved. By involving the audience, I was able to bridge the gap between performance and activism, in ways similar to how theatre can evoke emotional responses and social change. Over time, my practice has begun to incorporate more complex elements, moving into video art and performance art, while maintaining theatricality in my approach. ‘Indelible Black Marks’, for example, is a video art series that follows a visual script, capturing the dynamic moments of live performances and later editing them into thought-provoking narratives. The interplay of sound, visuals and movement in these works creates an immersive experience for the audience, resembling the elements of theatre — except it happens in a gallery space rather than a theatre hall.
The transition from traditional theatre to performance art is not just a shift in form but in content as well. The scenes I create in my art evoke a sense of urgency and destruction, much like a performance that conveys an intense, emotional reaction. For example, in one of my art films, the imagery of burning fields — symbolising environmental destruction — stretches on endlessly. This prolonged sequence, paired with dissonant background sounds, brings an urgent, theatre-like sense of time and space, making the audience feel the fire’s unstoppable force. Much like a live performance, the work is not just visual but visceral, designed to stir emotions and raise questions about human interaction with the planet.
World Theatre Day, therefore, is an opportunity to reflect on the ever-evolving nature of the performing arts, especially in how they intersect with contemporary practices. It transcends genres, mixing the physicality of performance with the conceptual freedom of visual art. My practice is an example of this hybridisation of forms. Through my work, I attempt to challenge the traditional notions of theatre while embracing its rich, expressive potential.
