2021 - Looking ahead: Culture hop

Peregrin Falcon

New, normal experiences
Coming in: January. February

While awaiting directives from the state government regarding their opening, Chhatrapati Shivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) is organising two physical exhibitions in January and February, which will be available for viewing once they are given a go-ahead. The first is a children's exhibition titled Entwined: Humans and Animals at the Children's Museum. Curated by the CSMVS team, it will showcase objects from their collection that depict animals. The second exhibition is centred on Tanjore paintings that were gifted to the museum by Kuldip Singh, the eminent architect and collector who passed away in November 2020. Singh had donated over 300 pieces, and thus the show will be accommodated in the Coomaraswamy Hall, under the ConservArte-a Citi-CSMVS Art Conservation Project, as the objects had to be restored at the museum. In addition, visitors will also be able to visit the renewed money and jewellery gallery that had opened in February but had to shut its door due to the lockdown.

30 years of stage
Coming in: TBA
Veteran thespian Lilette Dubey's theatre company Primetime Theatre Co celebrates 30 years. "We had big plans to host a huge festival across five cities and perform 30 shows over 30 days for the 30 years, till 2020 disrupted our plans. But all hope is not lost; we intend to move the festival to October 2021, where we will be premiering new plays." She will also be staging an impactful play that takes on faith, titled When Laxmi counted her Arms and Legs. Written by American playwright, Holly Hepp Galvan, it was a nominee for the Sultan Padamsee Award for playwrights where Dubey was a jury member. "The play didn't win the main prize, but it left an indelible mark on me," she shared. She will also team up with Sahitya Akademi award-winning playwright Mahesh Dattani to rekindle the magic of their long-running English play, Dance Like a Man with its sequel titled Dance Like a Goddess. "It will bring to the proscenium the same characters, but 30 years on, where I will be essaying the role of Lata [her daughter from the first instalment]," Dubey shared.

Detailed chapters
Coming in: February
During the lockdown, the KR Cama Oriental Institute held online sessions pertaining to the city's history. This year, they will digitally launch two key publications. An awardee of the Mrs Avabai B Wadia Research Fellowship the institute offers, Dr Sugandha Johar's book is titled Ahilyabai's Maheshwar, and documents the 18th century architecture of the holy town. The second title to be jointly published by the institute and Niyogi Books is called Reflections on Mughal Art and Culture, and draws from a seminar that was conducted in Mumbai. Edited by independent scholar Roda Ahluwalia, the richly illustrated volume comprises insights into the aesthetic and cultural legacy of the Mughals, by 13 scholars.

Worth a deco
Coming in: January
If you've missed soaking in the city's architectural heritage while being cooped up at home, public charitable trust Art Deco Mumbai will be conducting virtual tours of the Oval and Marine Drive precinct. "We will launch our maiden tour of the magnificent Art Deco buildings on Sir PM Road replete with its rich history of architecture, culture and an emerging swadesi identity through 'Bombay Deco'," founder-trustee Atul Kumar shares. And if you want a keepsake, they're also launching lovely notebooks peppered with blue Deco details, hand-illustrated by Tarini Gandhi.

Dark and original
Coming in: TBA
Mahesh Dattani will also be directing his own play, The Big Fat City, for a group in New Jersey, USA. It will be interesting to see the dark comedy, originally written with Mumbai as its backdrop where characters struggle with realities, relationships and technology in an international context. A revival of the production Snapshots of a Fervid Sunrise with his theatre group Playpen is also on the cards. It is a story of two teenagers in love, but not the kind you would associate with teens who are out to unsettle an unjust government.

Walking towards nature
Coming in: January
As part of Mumbai Gallery Weekend (MGW), artist Aditi Singh returns with a solo exhibition at Chemould Prescott Road - her first showcase in India after 12 years. As succinctly described in the working title 'Come, come walk with me', Singh draws from the natural world, channeling elements from urban and rural landscapes into her works.

United with the universe
Coming in: January
Another addition to MGW to look forward to is Rithika Merchant's exhibition at TARQ. The Barcelona-based, Mumbai-born artist has exhibited extensively across the globe and even collaborated with French luxury fashion house Chloe. Her upcoming show titled Birth of a New World focuses on a primordial time and seeks to explore what comes next.

Dance meets theatre
Coming in: TBA
Theatre director Quasar Thakore Padamsee will create a dance theatre piece in collaboration with talented Odissi dancers. It will be produced by Just B Repertory, a performing arts company founded by dancer-actor Bhavna Pani and Suruchi Pawar that focuses on movement theatre and text-based devised work. "The piece originally revolved around the theme of communication. But a lot has changed through the lockdown, which has pushed us to go back to the drawing board and reinvent," he shared. They also plan to do an extended tour of their adaptation of Every Brilliant Thing featuring Vivek Madan when it's safe to travel. "Mental health has become a crucial topic in the lockdown, and the participatory play relies on the audience supporting the lead to go forward," he added.