Mumbai Diary: Friday Dossier

Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Waiting for the winds of change

Drawn by the cool evening sea breeze, people crowd the Marine Drive promenade

Dutch lens on Mumbai lanes

A photograph depicting street art in Mumbai

Theo Festen, a finance director and passionate photographer from The Netherlands has been scouring Mumbai's streets and gullies since 2018. "I was inspired after I spotted some beautiful street art from the city in an in-flight magazine," Festen, who lives in the city with his wife Kajal Festen-Purohit, shared. While he had been scouring Mumbai with his camera for a while, he found his muse in that featured street art.

Theo Festen

"I recently published Street Art-A Journey Along the Street Art of Mumbai that covers stories and photographs of street artists and artworks from across Mumbai. I've hardly experienced the language barrier. In areas like Dharavi that are usually deemed unsafe, I found some of the friendliest people, willing to help me find the best shoot locations!" he admitted. One such story in the book is of Shiva Kunchikorve, a gifted artist, whose career came to a halt due to a surgery he underwent at KJ Somaiya Hospital. Festen took it upon himself to care for him after he was discharged. "The profits of this book will be donated to the Somaiya Trust, in support of healthcare and education of underprivileged children," he added. If you would like to pick up a copy of this book about Mumbai's growing street art scene, head to Kitab Khana or log on to an e-bookstore.

An anniversary to savour

The artistes with MX Stallion (centre). Pic Courtesy/Wanda Hendricks

For those walking past Carter Road and Juhu Beach earlier this week, the sight of MX Stallion and their friends in full drag costumes might have come as an interesting sight. The reactions, both positive and negative, were part of the attempt to showcase the ninth edition of the Kittyversary showcase at Kitty Su, Mumbai tomorrow, revealed MX Stallion. "The initial idea suggested by the Kitty Su team, felt like an empowering act. The general public is not used to witnessing artistes in drag on the streets. So, by doing this, it felt like we were reclaiming the space, and being witnessed. The experience was quite thrilling, but it helped that there were more performers together," they remarked. The artistes were also planning to head to a mall in Mulund; however, it would have proved too overwhelming, they shared. "The focus remains on the upcoming showcase of the talents of queer India from across the country," MX Stallion remarked.

The coolest act

Crowds gather at Khar Naka during the distribution of the materials

While the city braces for an extended heatwave, a group of kind hearts from the Waghoba Foundation, Bombay Sarvodaya Friendship Centre and the Kamgar Sanrakshan Samman Sangh (KSSS) will be distributing hydrating drinks for rehydration to daily wage labourers across the city. "We will distribute fluids like ORS, sugarcane juice, coconut water on an alternative basis to help them cope with the sun, since they cannot skip work outdoors, and do not have enough protection," shared Bilal Khan, president of KSSS.

Cats in California

The band performs at the Bottlerock festival in Napa Valley in May 2023

It is over to California for the rising stars of Peter Cat Recording Co. After making a mark in Australia and later Europe this year, the indie rock band Peter Cat Recording Co is already off to a flier in 2024. The band will be part of the line-up alongside Eddie Vedder's Pearl Jam, Alanis Morisette, Neil Young and Crazy Horse and Turnpike Troubadours at the Ohana Festival this September. Keyboardist and leader Kartik Pillai shared that this was a special moment. "We are very excited to go to the Ohana Festival not only to play but to see some stellar acts of which quite a few we've grown up with. We're going to be playing a brand-new set with a mix of old and brand spanking new songs," he said.

To build for a better future

While we battle climate change, the School of Environment and Architecture in Borivali is looking up new ideas. On the occasion of their 10th anniversary, the school has teamed up with Raqs Media Collective, Delhi, Invisible Dust, UK, and in partnership with Design Village and Goethe-Institut, to invite proposals from artists to conceive of pavilions and architectural forms. The designs selected by a curatorial team will then be constructed on the campus in Borivali in December 2024. "The competition invites young spatial practitioners, 30 years and below to think of an emotional, affective response to climate change and the changing monsoon in a city like Mumbai as the key aspect in their design response," shared one of the curators, architect Rupali Gupte (inset).