The lecture performance The Art of Walking by Pankaj Tiwari is based on a multi-day, 348 km long performative walk by Pankaj Tiwari and Abhishek Thapar Amsterdam (NL) to refugee camps in Calais (FR) - 13 days through three countries (Netherlands, Belgium and France) .
The Art of Walking: a lecture-performance creates awareness in Europe and beyond its borders for the ongoing struggle of migrant workers. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, the government hastily imposed a severe and ruthless lockdown across the country without worrying about its impact on precariously employed workers, leading to the impoverishment of migrant workers throughout India. Many day laborers lost their jobs, had neither money nor something to eat and were also plagued by the fear of contracting COVID-19. As public transport was stopped and the streets were barricaded, Millions of workers with their families and belongings set off for their remote home villages and towns. On the 300 to 2200 km long hikes, some died, some lost their children, some were run over by a train, some survived and arrived home.
This lecture performance is reflection, interaction, exchange and fiction. It contains stories about solidarity, exhaustion, perseverance and pain as well as excerpts from the diary notes of the artists during their walk.
For more updates regarding the lecture visit: https://www.gessnerallee.ch/de/event/130/Pankaj_Tiwari_The_art_of_Walking?fbclid=IwAR3uvmQ4cJkHbhrokaMeAUu5XE6ylAT2UK39nbcGYJ9grTTrYoz8lrS5aKo