30 May,2022 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Bipin Kokate
Youngsters beat the heat by jumping into the Banganga Tank at Walkeshwar
Created and curated by Thotpot, a creative platform of like-minded artistes, a new exhibition called Everything is Connected that opened over the weekend attempts to bridge nature and human senses. The display will try to connect the five elements of nature with human senses of perception, said architect Tapan Deshpande, who has conceptualised the exhibition. "The show encapsulates our journey over the past decade. We have been working with Indian concepts and receding aspects of local cultures. Our core label, 108 per cent Indian, works on the diversity of the country to devise more efficient tools for ideation or problem-solving. Our other arm, The Quilting House, empowers women from the grassroots to become artists," Deshpande elaborated. She added that both of these initiatives will be represented at the display - while the former will bring home the essence of one's cultural identity, the latter, through quilts of colours, stitches and fragmented forms, will talk of daily negotiations, tactile experiences and the small emotional wins in a city life. The exhibition in Colaba Arts at the historic BDD Chawl in Worli will continue till June 16.
Mumbai director Megha Ramaswamy's Lalanna's Song has taken a long route from India to the United States of America. The film was recently picked up from the Cannes market for distribution in the country by Deaf Crocodile and Gratitude films. "We are thrilled to be represented by real connoisseurs of art house cinema," the filmmaker told us. Produced by Newton Cinema, Lalanna's Song is expected to release on the art house circuit in the fall. "To get a theatrical release in the circuit marks a momentous beginning of the film's journey into the world," the elated director shared.
The fifth season of Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship witnessed three bartenders making Mumbai proud. Yatin Parade (ex-JW Marriott), Prantik Haldar (O Pedro) and Dhruv Sachdeva (Perch Wine & Coffee Bar) emerged as some of the finalists at the championship that saw more than 750 bartenders or âmonkeys' show off their chops. Gaurav Sareen, the ambassador of the label, shared that with their vast knowledge, today's bartenders are the true artistes of the alco-bev industry. "We aim to bring these talents into the spotlight and showcase their skills to the world through this competition," he added ahead of the finale at Goa. We wish our city âmonkeys' the best.
Jazz lovers with kids, here's an opportunity to share your love for the genre with your young one. At Jazz for Kids on June 5, international musicians Ben Van Den Dungen, Bas Toscani and Deborah Carter will not only perform for young ones at St Andrew's, Bandra, but also walk them through its history. Nandini Mahesh, director, Banyan Tree Events, shared, "Jazz has similarities with Indian classical, and we want kids to be exposed to all kinds of musical genres."
Only in yesterday's edition, we introduced you to the men and women who train specially abled persons for their dream hospitality job. Among them were the folks behind Juhu-based Café Arpan, where adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities run the show. This diarist recently learnt that a digital donation platform is now running a fundraiser to support the operations of the café. "People often ask us, âWhy can't they find a job outside?' The reality is that in the open market, jobs cannot accommodate the special needs and skills of persons with these disabilities. For instance, in a commercial kitchen, a certain level of speed is expected. At our café, our team will make you a delicious cold coffee, but instead of five minutes, they may take 10. And nobody minds waiting. It's a relaxed, joyful atmosphere where the team interacts with the guests, even sings for them. And the world needs more of this sweet experience," Ashaita Mahajan, trustee, Yash Charitable Trust, which runs the café, pointed out. To help them out, head to fundraisers.giveindia.org.
