Emerging Storyteller 2024: Prajna Kumaraswamy

Congratulations to Prajna Kumaraswamy, recipient of the Emerging Storyteller Program award 2024.

The #USkEmergingStorytellers program is a new initiative by Urban Sketchers looking to showcase reportage artists and visual storytellers aged 18-25. We’re on a mission to empower and celebrate the next generation of reportage artists. The program is generously sponsored by Roman Szmal.

What is Reportage ?

Reportage is a visual account of a cultural phenomenon, event, current history, etc., based on drawings made from direct observation while on location. The drawings have to tell a story by showing context, characters, and setting. Sketches are accompanied by short pieces of narrative writing presented directly on the drawings or added separately. The narrative is informed by firsthand accounts, research, and interviews. A successful visual reportage gives viewers a feeling for the setting and the people. Look around you. See what moves you! Then tell us about it with sketches and stories to take us by the hand and lead us there!

Sketching in Melody

The project selected this year is “SKETCHING IN MELODY- Exploring Carnatic music culture“ by Prajna Kumaraswamy.  Prajna received a goody bag of art supplies, an award of 500USD plus a free sketch pass for the Urban Sketchers International Symposium.

Here are Prajna’s words about her exciting project.

The City of Mysuru has always been home to various art forms, mainly classical music,  dance, painting, sculpture and more. During the rule of the Wodeyars (kings of Mysuru  kingdom) Carnatic music flourished and gave birth to the most talented prodigies of the  time which later came to be known as the golden age for Carnatic compositions.  

Carnatic music’s unique characteristics lie in its complex melodic structure, intricate  rhythmic patterns, and profound spiritual essence, setting it apart from other music  traditions.

A ‘Kacheri’ is an assembly of musicians and audience in the context of Carnatic Music.  The music fraternity of connoisseurs and common people assemble at the katcheri  venues to listen to classical music. Carnatic music has played an integral role in Indian  society for centuries. Its significance goes beyond just being a performing art. It is  deeply intertwined with the spiritual and cultural fabric of the nation. The rhythmic and  melodic patterns of Carnatic music have been used in religious rituals, cultural  ceremonies, and festivals, creating a sacred ambiance and culturally vibrant  environment. Carnatic music’s ability to evoke profound emotions and touch the soul  has made it a quintessential part of Indian culture of Kacheri. The compositions often  depict ancient stories, mythologies, and historical events, thus acting as a repository of  Indian cultural heritage. Learning Carnatic music requires dedication and guidance from  an experienced Guru (teacher). Traditionally, it is taught through a guru-shishya  (teacher-student) relationship, passing down knowledge through generations. Carnatic  music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians, consisting of a principal  performer (usually a vocalist), a melodic accompaniment (usually a violin), a rhythm  accompaniment (usually a mridangam), and a tambura, which acts as  a drone throughout the performance. Other typical instruments used in performances  may include the ghatam, kanjira, morsing, flute, veena, and chitraveena etc. 

The main storyline of Pajna’s Usk reportage is about exploring the vibrant ‘Kacheri’ culture of Indian Carnatic Music through urban sketching.

She takes us on a journey of Karnāṭaka saṅgītam (Carnatic Music)  an ancient form of classical music originating in southern India.

The compositions often depict ancient stories, mythologies, historical events, thus acting as a repository of Indian cultural heritage.

Parna visits Carnatic concerts held at unique locations like palaces, temples, streets and heritage buildings in the city of Mysuru (a cultural capital) to understand the spatial relations and the holistic setting of a Kacheri. We see the visual representations of these beautiful locations and we can almost hear the classical Indian instruments.

A ‘Kacheri’ is an assembly of musicians and audience, the fraternity of connoisseurs and common people assemble at kacheri venues to listen to classical music. It’s ability to evoke profound emotions and touch the soul has made it a quintessential part of Indian Kacheri culture.

Carnatic kacheri is usually performed by an ensemble of musicians, consisting of a principal performer (main vocalist/instrumentalist- violin/ Veena/ flute), a melodic accompaniment (usually violin), rhythm accompaniments( mridangam/ Ghatam/ khanjiram/ morsing), and a tambura which acts as a drone throughout.

Throughout her sketches, we can almost reach out and touch these lovely instruments and feel the vibrations of the stories they depict. Prajna teaches us that the audience and the space the musicians perform are integral to the emotion of this ancient art form.

As viewers of this Reportage, we are drawn to the obvious deep cultural significance of the music and Prajna seems to speak to us of the importance of keeping this artform alive!

About the Artist

Prajna is an architect, Urbanist and an  urban sketcher from the city of Mysuru, India. She finds it fascinating to record events,  memories, and tales in a sketchbook or on a piece of paper. It is a way to document our  observations and have a journal of creative expressions. Urban sketching allows a  person to experience being in the present and living each moment of our lives more  fully. It forges a closer bond between myself and the location.  While capturing the energy and life of the city, it is  often thrilling and exciting for her to capture the essence of a scene before it changes.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tattva.prajna

Are you an Emerging Storyteller?

If you are aged 18 to 25 do you have a story to tell? Is there an event or a ritual in your life or culture that you feel strongly about? Would you like to tell that story in live, in-person sketching?

The Emerging Storyteller program is designed to highlight the best examples of drawing reportage in our community and inspire a new generation of artist reporters.

Share your work online using the #USkEmergingStorytellers hashtag and keep an eye out for future grants and opportunities to support younger sketchers around the world.