Enter the world of ceramic art with this festival in Mumbai

Participants at an earlier Ikebana flower-making workshop

An ode to clay and the vessels that accompany us through every stage of life, from refreshing sips of cool water after outdoor play, to the soothing comfort of chai on quiet mornings, will be celebrated at Kathiwada City House as part of their ongoing Maati Putr Ceramic Festival. Paying homage to the significance of clay in our lives, the event will feature a storytelling session led by ceramic artist Shampa Shah and a soulful ghatam performance by Sumana Chandrashekhar.

People work on clay kulhads at an earlier workshop

The festival, which began on October 18, aims to rekindle appreciation for ceramic art. "Our aim is to bring about more awareness to ceramic art as a high form of art and we wish to continuously inspire people to see the value and beauty in it. We plan to transform the gallery into a theatre with baithak-style seating for this event, creating an atmosphere that brings the essence of traditional gatherings into the heart of the city," expressed Sangita Kathiwada, founder and artistic director of Kathiwada City House. The evening will open with an introduction of the artists, followed by Shah's storytelling session. The Bhopal-based ceramic collector and curator has extensively studied ceramic art, travelling to various regions since 1992 collecting instruments and stories of potter's lives. She will be sharing these stories of the potters and the types of pottery from the Thar Desert, and its surrounding regions. Her storytelling will help the audience trace the role of clay in every phase of life, from a child's first meal cooked in a new pot to the clay vessel that holds a person's ashes.

Sumana Chandrashekhar and Sangita Kathiwada

In this session, Shah will share mythical stories about ancestral potters Siria Devi and Sawla Kumbhar, as well as narratives of potters like Lunaram, Gopi Bai, and Siddharoji from Pokhran and Jaisalmer district, respectively, whom she met in 1994. "The session will discuss the techniques of potters from the desert region, their stories and perspectives on the changes in the tradition," she elaborated. Shah will narrate in a free-flowing style and will use slides to visually illustrate elements within the story. A traditional set-up of pots, including some from Shah's own collection from Jaisalmer, will further enhance the experience. "Pairing these stories with tactile elements like the pots will help listeners feel connected to them and the potters," she added. After the storytelling, attendees will enjoy a break with a traditional mahua-based drink made from fermented mahua flowers, complemented by artisanal snacks.

The food will feature artisanal snacks and a mahua-based drink

The second segment of the evening will feature a ghatam performance by Sumana Chandrashekhar, a musician from Bengaluru with 15 years of experience. The ghatam, a clay pot with a narrow mouth, is considered to be one of the oldest percussion instruments. Chandrashekhar's performance will weave together sounds of the pot, mystical poetry, as well as konnakol, the vocal percussion language of Carnatic music.

Shampa Shah

"I feel that the performance will bring a fresh sonic dimension and allow attendees to interpret the sounds and find a storyline within the beats. They will be able to notice the metallic ring of the ghatam's notes as well as explore the variety of sounds created from different parts of the instrument," she explained. In addition to these performances, attendees can explore a contemporary art exhibit by Gunjan Arora, showcasing textile and mixed media artworks.

ON November 15; 6.30 pm onwards
AT Kathiwada City House 69, West More Apartments, B Wing, Sir Pochkhanawala Road, Worli.
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.in
CALL 9372859864
COST Rs 1,799 onwards

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