-- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --
MORE THAN A FESTIVAL, A FEELING: ArtWallah 2004 Benefit at the Good Hurt
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Fundraising never hurt so good! Over 200 artists, organizers and partygoers raised the roof and cash last night, saturating the dancefloor at Good Hurt nightclub in Venice, for a successful kick off to the annual ArtWallah, Arts Festival of the South Asian Diaspora. Fueled by the intermixing East and West rhythms dropped by fusion-hip hop group Karmacy and DJ Dithmar, the crowd socialized and danced the night away, celebrating the exciting, ever-growing South Asian art scene in Southern California.
Karmacy, accompanied by a percussionist, bassist, keyboardist and 2 DJs, enlivened the crowd with tracks from their debut full-length LP, “The Movement.” The South Asian MCs ignited the evening with a powerful set characterized by poignant lyrics and energetic rhythms. Karmacy’s performance captured the epitomy of the ArtWallah spirit in using both ethnic and national identities to create an innovative means of self and universal expression. As one Karmacy MC, Nimo Patel, expressed it, “ArtWallah is the perfect venue for all South Asian artists to come together and express collectively the experiences of their dual culture and dual identities.” With nostalgia, he recalls Karmacy’s nascent years and the group’s first performance four years ago at an intimate locale in Downtown Los Angeles. The audience “was a very small crowd of people with a passion for what they liked to do. And almost like a family, the crowd has accumulated over the years.” Relationships between artists, such as Karmacy, and ArtWallah have been symbiotic and instrumental in the organic growth and outreach of this artistically-driven family.
Side by side to ArtWallah veterans were many fresh faces. Spinning at a festival event for the first time, DJ Dithmar was both inspired and awed. “The support of ArtWallah fans really impressed me. I had a really great time, and truly enjoyed performing for such a positive, supportive group of people who came together for a good cause. Everyone was enthused about the music and the art.” Ultimately, newcomers, be it partygoers, volunteers, or performers, were left with a feeling that ArtWallah is more than an arts festival; it is a feeling, a movement, a place that fosters the fusion of identities, of places and of beliefs.
ArtWallah welcomes submissions from artists locally and transnationally for the 2004 festival scheduled for July 8-11 at the Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood, CA.
CALL FOR WORKS
ArtWallah, Arts Festival of the South Asian Diaspora, is seeking innovative and original work from artists and artist-activists that address political, personal or cultural celebrations/struggles, for its fourth-annual event. We especially strive to include regions that are typically underrepresented in the South Asian geography, including Burma, the Maldives, Nepal, and Bhutan. Visit www.artwallah.org to review the call for works and the submissions guidelines. The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2004.
CONTACT:
Falguni Raval
press@artwallah.org
323-939-5207
ABOUT ARTWALLAH
ArtWallah is an annual festival of arts showcasing expressions of the South Asian diasporic experience through dance, literature, spoken word, theater, music, film/video, and visual arts. ArtWallah 2004 is presented by the ArtWallah Steering Committee and through the dedication and support of its volunteers, patrons and sponsors.
