International Web Awards
for Indian Dancer’s Website
August 3, 2004 |
| Noted Chennai-based
dancer/choreographer/cultural activist Anita Ratinam’s personal website
www.anitaratnam.com
bagged first prizes at the prestigious Alternative Poetry World Competition
in Aberdeen, Scotland, the Independent Art House Website festival in Stockholm,
Sweden as well as gold at the Independent Cyber Underground Web Awards
2004 at Amsterdam. It was also presented at the Cyber Lions at Cannes in
the Alternative Net-Art category from Asia Pacific.
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| Created by Mumbai design
maverick, research/writer Arvind Iyer, the site was opened a year ago and
created a sensation for its cutting edge surreal look and powerful poetry.
Deliberately devoid of Technicolor embellishments, the site runs through eleven pages of profoundly moving text that layer meaning with image. The poems are very dark in content and do not go well with the average poetry connoisseur. Jagged photos of the attractive artist starkly contrast the burning lyrics, capturing an almost angst-driven landscape of love, longing and awareness. Commenting on the web award, Anita said, “This is wonderful news! Art has always welcomed adaptation, embraced innovation and been open to newer technologies. I have always believed in technology and new media as my fellow travellers in the universe of artistic expression. When I created my first art website www.arangham.com it was primarily to disseminate information on my foundation’s work and set down the body of my creative enterprise. But with www.anitaratnam.com, it was a quick registration of the domain name and then a long search for what best reflected ME! The World Wide Web weaves a whole new image and tone for the arts. My meeting with Arvind Iyer was serendipity. My surrender to his genius was a gut reaction. I am delighted at the recognition his visionary impulse has achieved!” A visibly elated Iyer from Mumbai comments, “I guess the hook for the award was the intensity with which the poetry was written. The poems stunned the jury.” With characteristic candour he added, “But it was expected!” Arvind Iyer has designed websites for a range of creative artists like Santosh Sivan, Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan, musician Ranjit Barot, cameraman Binod Pradhan and is currently developing sites for filmmakers Shaad Ali, Nikhil Advani and ad-guru Ravi Deshpande as well as a Canadian hair stylist! His creative impulse for www.anitaratnam.com was primarily the woman he saw in her. Arvind elaborates, “She was complete. Her spiritual vibration was irresistible. I had to do it. It had to be our mutual catharsis.” Plans are on the anvil with Georgia O’Neill, a Chinese art dealer, to publish it as a coffee table book. Arvind Iyer has researched for films like “Terrorist” and “Ashoka” and is currently scripting an English film “Brahmin”, to be made in the Fiji islands. His first choice for its silhouette - who else - Anita Ratnam! |
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