Maya Janine D’Costa

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA under Neighbourhood Engagements will create a series of drawings that investigates the role of the market place in the city through interactions in the meat market in Murphy Town, Ulsoor in Bangalore. Maya Janine D’Costa is the Coordinator for this project.

Maya Janine D’Costa is an interdisciplinary artist working in mediums of drawing, moving image, text and display. They have a degree in Information Arts and Information Design Practices, and Minor in Contemporary Arts Practice from Srishti Institute of Arts, Design and Technology in Bangalore. They are interested in understanding the lived experiences of identity and the body through research and by exploring personal memory. An important part of their practice has involved creating work that engages with and builds relationships with diverse communities. Given their experience they are best placed to be the Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA.

The Murphy Town meat market is an Indo Saracenic site located in the Ulsoor neigbhourhood, and has been identified as a heritage site by the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Murphy Town, initially known as Knoxpet derives its name the British municipal engineer W H Murphy who planned this layout. The meat market which originally served customers coming from the Tin Factory, Kasturi Nagar and Hosur, now mainly serves the working-class residents of Ulsoor. Maya will spend time at the meat market in Murphy Town examining the relationship of the market space to the bodies that inhabit it – butchers, animals (living and dead) and customers. Through these interactions, the project will explore the lived experiences of the people who inhabit and visit the market; and the history of the surrounding neighbourhood.

The project will examine the nature and possibilities of interactions among sellers, butchers and customers. It will also reflect on larger socio-political issues of gender, caste, religion and class and their association and relationship with meat. Through research and interactions with its diverse inhabitants, the project will speculate on the future of the meat market, the role of online shopping, local groceries, and changing customer practices.

This project will result in a series of drawings created in conversation with the community that evokes the meat market; and a public sharing in the marketplace. Maya’s deliverables to IFA with the final report will be process documentation of the research and interactions, images of drawings and documentation of the physical installation.

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Project 560 programme in the manner in which it artistically investigates into the role of the market place in the city.

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project over three months. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.

This project is made possible with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment Fund.