MUMBAI: British Council presents works by leading international artistes Jeremy Deller and Alan Kane in Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi between October 2014 and February 2015.

The British Council, UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, brings to India - Folk Archive, a vibrant, visual account of contemporary popular British culture by leading international artistes Jeremy Deller and Alan Kane.

In India, Folk Archive will be shown at the Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Delhi. In these venues the exhibition will demonstrate the rich variety of British art and creativity, beyond what audiences may be familiar with, and create at the same an unexpected and complex cross cultural dialogue.

Bringing together drawing, painting, film, performance, costume, decoration, political opinion and humour, and some astonishing objects, Folk Archive celebrates activity from a vast range of British pastimes and pursuits, and demonstrates that folk art in the UK is both widespread and vigorous. Folk Archive includes work from prisoners and community groups, Notting Hill Carnival troupes, protesters, pop fans, teenagers, villagers and the homeless.

Folk Archive blurs the lines between traditional categories of ‘fine arts', design, crafts, folk and daily creativity. It addresses different audience groups - young designers who work with street kitsch visuals, graffiti and street artistes, artistes engaged with community work, urban cutting edge conceptual artistes and young people. Usually contemporary art is considered to be quite inaccessible by non-art world audiences. Folk Archive demonstrates through its quirkiness- the presentation of hand crafted objects, festivals, and the aspirations of people, that art is not something removed from our daily lives. Above all, Folk Archive celebrates everyday creativity that is a part of each of our lives.

Folk Archive is part of the British Council Collection. It was acquired by the British Council Collection in 2007 and has since been exhibited in Belgrade, Paris, Milan and Shanghai.

Folk Archive, India schedule

Mumbai

Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum

Preview: 30 October

Exhibition: 31 October- 30 November  

Kolkata Victoria Memorial Hall

Preview: 16 December

Exhibition: 17 December 2014- 7 January 2015

Delhi Mati Ghar, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

Preview: 31 January 2015

Exhibition: 1 February- 27 February 2015