Stuti Mukherjee
Arts producer, Indian classical dancer, MAsC artist bringing minority arts to school and Arts educator
What the Nominator shared: Stuti represents minority voice, minority art and culture in Ottawa.
Photo by SrinJoy RoyIn their own words: As a South Asian artist, I believe it is my responsibility to showcase my art, contribute to the community, and promote cultural diversity. I take pride in being a part of the Asian Diaspora community and have had the opportunity to perform and teach Bharatanatyam in and around Ottawa. Through my dance school and work as a MASC artist, I have introduced Bharatanatyam to new audiences and promoted cultural exchange. I am passionate about preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of South Asian traditional dance forms.
My upcoming project, Nāvarūpa, is a testament to my commitment to promoting cultural diversity and celebrating the divine feminine through the art of South Asian dance. The project has received support from the Arts Network Ottawa's ARTicipate 2023 grant, the City of Ottawa's Equity & Inclusion's SEED Award 2022, and the Shenkman Arts Centre. For the first time, I have stepped in as an Art Producer and Curator for Nāvarūpa, which features nine other South Asian dance artists from Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Bethesda, USA. They will portray the nine manifestations or avatars of the mother goddess in five different Indian classical dance forms, namely, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Mohiniattam.
My hope is that this project will inspire and empower other artists, especially those from the Asian Diaspora community, to showcase their talents and contribute to Ottawa's cultural landscape. I believe in the power of art to bring people together and promote understanding and empathy. I also believe in the importance of cultural preservation and promotion and aim to continue working towards these goals through my art and community involvement.
CanAsian Dance is situated in Tkaronto, a Mohawk word meaning “the place in the water where the trees are standing.” It is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples, and it continues to be the home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
This land is under the Dish with One Spoon covenant, an agreement between the Anishinaabeg and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. This land is a dish to be shared and cared for and we all share one spoon; the spoon is to be used to take only what is needed and to leave enough for others, thus ensuring a viable and abundant future. We recognize the enduring resilience of Indigenous peoples and we acknowledge that we are accountable to these relationships and these agreements.
We carry these values of responsibility in sharing and caring in abundance with consideration of not only ourselves but of our communities that we share together.
