Weekend Guide: Poetry and abstract art

Here is a guide to what you can do this weekend if you are in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata or Bangalore

DELHI

 

Theatre

A timeless love story: Studio Safdar presents “3, Sakina Manzil”,a love story set in pre-partition India. While the country fights for independence, the world is being ravaged by World War II, and the Hindi film Industry is breaking new ground. Amid all this, in 3 Sakina Manzil, an old apartment building in Bombay, the love story of two silent lovers unfolds. The story is set in the backdrop of Bombay Dock Explosion (that happened on April 14, 1944) and explores how people despite the crisis of that time, managed to fall in love and sustain it over the years. The play is written by Ramu Ramanathan, and directed by Deepak Dhamija. 

 

Where: Studio Safdar, Ranjit Nagar, New Delhi

When: September 27, 7 pm

 

Art

A date with modern art: Delhi Art Gallery presents “Indian Abstracts: An Absence of Form”, a seminal exhibition that charts the development of abstraction in modern Indian art, featuring close to 70 artists. The exhibition brings together for the first time a vast body of work spanning a range of styles that have evolved in modern Indian art. The retrospective is an investigation into the evolution of abstraction in Indian art from the early 1950s till current times. 

 

It is showcasing a variety of different art forms- Western abstract art, in particular the works of artists such as Klee, Rothko, Pollock or Calder, East-Asian influences, and significantly, a range of traditional, tribal, folk and tantric art - for their techniques, themes and approaches. The exhibition features prominent and Indian abstractionists like V. S. Gaitonde, S. H. Raza, Ram Kumar, and Nasreen Mohammedi. 

 

Where: Delhi Art Gallery, Hauz Khas, New Delhi

When: Till September 30, 11am-7pm

 

Illusion and realism: Lalit Kala Akademi presents “Of Dreams And Realities”, an exhibition of artworks by Amrita Ghosh and Subrata Mete. Dedicated to renowned art critics, Late Keshav Malik and Late R S Yadav, the artworks on display will be portraits, inspired from different landscapes and society. The artists with their new collection of works are trying to reflect the huge difference between dreams and realities. The exhibition will also include representations that showcase the independent desires of a woman, and the dark reality that prevents her from fulfilling her wishes.

 

Where: Lalit Kala Akademi, Connaught Place, New Delhi

When: Till September 27, 11am-7pm 

 

Music

An ode to Tagore: India Habitat Centre presents “The Mysticism Of Rabindranath Tagore” , an art appreciation lecture series that will explore the legendary Indian poet’s mind through the path of mysticism. Among the speakers at the event, will be eminent author and critic, Radha Chakravarty. The interaction will be followed by a musical performance dedicated to Tagore, Rumi and Romain Rolland. The performance will have Somali Panda on vocals, Pierre-Antoine Lasnier on acoustic guitar and Ramgopal Pyne on violin.

 

Where: India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

When: September 26, 6:30 pm

 

KOLKATA

 

Art

Art for the mind: Gallery Kolkata presents “Antahkaran”, an art exhibition that will showcase works of Tapas Ghoshal. It will feature over 40 works featuring paintings done on gouaches and canvas , including a series of highly sensitive paper works. According to Hindu philosophy, Antahkaran refers to the totality of two levels of mind, namely the <buddhi> which is the intellect, and the <manas>, the middle levels of mind. In totality, it is the entire psychological process, which represents the mind and emotions.

 

Where:Gallery Kolkata, Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata

When: Till September 27, 11am-7 pm 

 

Films

Kenyan action thriller: Max Mueller Bhavan will be screening “Nairobi Half Life”, is a 2012 Kenyan drama film about a young man called Mwas, who aspires to become an actor. Much to the chagrin of his brother and parents, Mwas leaves for Nairobi: the city of opportunity, where he quickly understands why it is nicknamed “Nairobbery”, as he is robbed of all his belongings and left alone. Luck, or the lack thereof, brings him face to face with two groups of downtown crooks, one of which takes him in. He is quickly drawn into a new world of violence, even as he tries to keep his acting dream alive. Separating the two worlds proves to be a contest for him as he struggles to survive in this unknown world. 

 

Where: Max Mueller Bhavan, Ballygunge, Kolkata

When: September 26, 12:30 pm

 

MUMBAI

 

Music

Musical epic: Geet Ramayan is a form of Marathi light music that is among the most popular Marathi versions of the Ramayana. Written by the poet G. D. Madgulkar, the collection of 56 songs chronologically describes events from the Ramayana. The songs were set to music by the composer-singer Sudhir Phadke, using Hindustani ragas and talas according to the time of the incident and the narrative mood. The works, been translated into nine other languages including Braille, were presented by several veteran singers. This performance will mark the 60th year of Geet Ramayan and it will be led by Shridhar Phadke, who is a singer and composer like his father Sudhir. 

 

Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai

When: September 27, 6.30 pm                                     

Info: Tickets at Rs 300-500

 

Theatre
 

Women at war: 9 Parts of Desire, an acclaimed off Broadway one-woman hit, details the lives of nine Iraqi women that span the decades between the first and second Gulf wars and the occupation. The English play tells the story of the extraordinary and ordinary lives of a cross-section of Iraqi women: a sexy painter, a radical communist, a doctor, an exile, wives, mothers, and lovers. It explores the many conflicting sides to what it means to be a woman in a war-afflicted country. Written by Heather Raffo and directed by Lillete Dubey, the play is performed by Ira Dubey.

 

Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai

When: Sept 38, 7pm 

Info: Tickets at Rs 300-500

 

 

Poetry

Poets for change: As part of the global movement, 100 Thousand Poets for Change, Kitab Khana will host a four-day poetry festival. Curated by Menka Shivdasani, the event will feature live music performances and readings on the first three days and a special programme for children on the final day, co-ordinated by Rati Dady Wadia. Children from across city schools and organisations like The Writer's Bug are expected to participate. The music performances will be held in collaboration with National Streets for Performing Arts (NSPA), a non-profit initiative that hopes to revive a culture of public performances. The styles performed will include lok geet, Hindustani music of the Gwalior gharana and progressive protest music. The reading sessions will be by writers in various languages including Marathi and Gujarati.

 

Where: Kitab Khana, Fort, Mumbai

When: September 25-28, 5.45 pm-7 pm (10.30 am-1.30 pm on September 28)

Info: For details, visit www.kitabkhana.in

 

Art

Mall art: As a growing number of artworks finds its way into public places in the city, High Street Phoenix too is displaying pieces by various artists in different themes. The centrepiece of this showcase is Gajanan Choukhande’s Creator at Palladium Level 1, which depicts how the hand is the creator and facilitator of things. While Reha Shishodia and Nayanjeet Nikam put together an installation called the Tree Of Life, Siddhesh Chavan shows the friendship between a mother and her child in his sculpture. Touted to be the piece de resistance of this selection is The Ultimate Rotation, where internationally renowned artist Sanjay Kumar Srivastava looks at how the hand of time is intrinsic to our existence.

Where: Across High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel, Mumbai 

When: Till September 30

BANGALORE

Shifting landscapes: MG Road is perhaps Bangalore's most famous thoroughfare, and also one that has seen tremendous transformation over the years, from the time it was the charming South Parade. Bangalore Storyscapes, an oral history project undertaken by Centre for Public History, is an attempt to capture the changes that have taken place through people's memories, at times the only remnant of how things used to be. A curated walk through MG Road, based on interviews conducted with people who were part of the changing landscape, allows you to get a glimpse of how people perceived the area and the associations they had with these landmarks.

 

Where: Anil Kumble Circle (near metro station), MG Road

When: September 28, 10.30 am & 3 pm 

Info: Register by sending an email to cph@srishti.ac.in

 

The city, and films: Over 35 non-fiction films from India, South Africa, Peru, Chile, Colombia and Canada which engage with how the ‘city’ has found a cinematic expression in non-fiction films will feature in this year's edition of the Urban Lens Film Festival. Films to be screened include Dear Mandela by Dara Kell and Chistopher Nizza, which documents the remarkable story of Abahlali baseMjondolo, the largest movement of the poor to emerge in post-apartheid South Africa, and Deepa Dhanraj's acclaimed Kya Hua Is Shahar Ko, which looks at the communal riots-affected Hyderabad. There will also be discussions with filmmakers.

 

Where: Indian Institute of Human Settlements, 2 nd  Main Road, Sadashivnagar, Bangalore

When: September 26-28

Info: Entry free. Full schedule available at iihs.co.in  

 

Delicate movements:“Fragile,” a short movement performance by Sva Ensemble, will be performed as part of the Nritya Nritya 2014 festival. The piece, choreographed by Veena Basavarajaiah, will be performed by Shreekanth Rao and Akshay Gandhi.

 

Where: NGMA, Palace Road, Bangalore

When: September 27, 10.30