BBF: How was your overall experience visiting Greece? And How did you find the atmosphere at the International Scientific Conference & Day Conference of Young Researchers?
Preema Nazia Andaleeb: From April 17 to 21, 2024, I participated in the International Scientific Conference & Day Conference of Young Researchers organised by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The conference was about “Expanded scenography, performance and public space.” Greece is famous for new mathematics, inventions in philosophy, sculptures, medicine, literature, and mathematics; it is considered the hub of knowledge, inventions and theatre, and Olympic games – a smart nation with a high IQ. Therefore, I was thrilled to be a part of the esteem conference to discuss my process and practice of performance art.
Their emphasis on details, research mentality and how their education system has been moderated is learning for any country and culture. The university is full of archaeological and historical sculptures, and it has a strong department of theatre studies that includes philosophy of drama, performance and education. This is precisely the kind of context that I deeply connect with my practice. The conference held a four-day event that included keynotes, presentations, site-specific workshops, performances, and networking and discussions among invited scholars, artists, academia, socialists, scientists, and experts in the respective fields. 
Can you elaborate on the central theme of your presentation, “Provoking Unknown Territory through Performance Body”? How does this conference add value to your current practices?
The topic reflected on my performance practice in public spaces. Because of the unknown challenges, performing in a public space gives me a contrasting atmosphere of democracy and convention. I seek to address the inherent interdisciplinarity of public, site-situated performance practices. Space in a work of art refers to a feeling of depth in three dimensions. There is always an intersection between people, space and the third object. I am interested in the intersections between performance acts, performing bodies, public and semi-public environments, cultural politics and landscapes. I am keen to explore public spaces as a civil sphere where civil society can come together, and not only that, but sometimes, they can present dissension moments and reveal harsh antagonisms.
Since we are talking about expanded scenography as a component of artistic action, we have moved from the theatrical space to other places with equal and more narratives and aesthetic dynamics than the conventional stage. I believe performance art is a neo-movement against traditional art and does not directly impact human behaviour, culture, or society.
Why do you prefer performing in public spaces, and what unique challenges and rewards does this setting offer compared to more traditional venues?
The performance can immediately draw a large and exclusively sympathetic crowd, ending up in a loud argument between the viewers and the participants. Since performance can have a transformative effect by telling a story, it also adds life to a space or creates a focal point in space. Therefore, in today’s world, public performance art has a huge potential to navigate new possibilities. The conference on scenography aims to discover new dimensions to create agents to connect art, people and society.
This creates an opportunity to connect directly with the masses through art, expression, and action. However, it has its own challenges as well. During my performance in some galleries in Bangladesh and abroad, I faced rejection and resistance from the public as they never encountered this kind of act before. However, as an artist, I had to push the boundary of the unknown territory, which can offer a lot of possibilities to tap into. What is art if it doesn’t explore uncertainty? And that is the kind of art I want to pursue.
How do you explore the intersections between people, space, and objects in your performance art?
In my performances, I create an atmosphere where I naturally go closer to people in the public space. The intersection of the act is the intervention of the people, space, and object through a specific time and performance body. It is always an intersection we must encounter, even daily. Technically, performance art is a tool to learn the deeper notions of human behaviour interactions with other elements (real/surreal). I am interested in learning new techniques to communicate through art as an agency of expression, to communicate and co-create by telling a story and creating narration.
Performance art is like a prism, which is triangular with refracting surfaces at an acute angle with each other and that separates white light into a spectrum of colour. So, in performance art, I create a three-dimensional experience, and that experience narrates one particular theme or context. It is a methodology that breaks conventional thinking and physically showcases the thinking process. It is not metaphorical; instead, it deals with emotional intelligence to navigate science and arts simultaneously. The deeper we intersect, the higher we reach the depth.
How has performing in public spaces over the last twenty-four years contributed to breaking the taboo surrounding the female body in Bangladesh?
Since I am into performance art, my approach to art has completely shifted. Performance art allows me to make the invisible visible. In my performances, the body itself is the object of spectacle, with the aim of provoking reactions, ideals, and displacements of established socio-political perceptions of the female body. The body is the subject and object of art capable of provoking an active and undefined reaction. Marry My Egg, Intersection, Identity, and My Unborn Fetus are all performances created in public spaces.
What inspired the concept behind your performance art piece “THIRD EYE,” which was performed on Ermou Street in Athens?
Third Eye was the concept of my solo live art performance in Athens during the four conference days. I chose Monasteraki Square, a high tourist spot at the end of Ermou Street, the centre of Athens. Many shops and restaurants are around the place, including the Acropolis and a few important monasteries. Greek churches are orthodox and follow a strict regime of religious beliefs. I intended to juxtapose my performance with a holy place, and the body of performance is always an eternal body.
I believe in democratising expression, so engaging people in art and expression is vital for my practice. The form and new theory I am working on are quite relevant for embodying art practice in AI and technology. If art is about communication, it is important to develop a deeper and more substantial relationship between people, performance, and art itself. My practice primarily involves knowledge, and this conference is an icebreaker to the typical art environment we have practised in Bangladesh.
What cultural or personal significance does the “THIRD EYE” performance hold for you?
My act of the Third Eye is beyond the third dimension. It is the freedom of expression that I perform. Every art tends to follow a rule, and in the process, an artist becomes a slave of art. So, what is the point of art if we cannot break it to the next level? The performance at Monasteraki Square (Athens, Greece) was an attempt for me to test my limits and the limits of performance art. What is art? We can imagine art without hesitation, censorship, or resistance. Grammar or technicality is one thing, but we must explore new avenues to be the prisoner of performance art.
Even though Bangladesh and Greece are geographically far from each other, we are very similar culturally because of our rich heritage, philosophy and historical backgrounds. The third Eye performance for me was to offer them and me a context to understand tolerance and connect with each other. We definitely agreed to disagree as the police came on the spot to stop my act in front of their holy monastery. Because the priest from the church complained to the city police for showing too much skin in public. However, the university stepped in and managed to resolve the issue after constructive arguments. I believe art has a greater purpose than only its aesthetics. Art is to declare and reform humanity, the future world and the new vision for our civilisation. Therefore, my performance is not just an art piece but a discourse to get to a new theory.
