07 October,2023 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Satej Shinde
A young girl picks out her choice while shopping for garba attire ahead of Navratri in Ghatkopar West.
It is an old family pastime to dig out dusty albums and digitise them for posterity. For city-based artist Siddhesh Gautam, the practice turned into an archiving of history. "I started colourising because I did not find old photographs of my family in black and white. So, I decided on the next best option - to colourise Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's archival pictures. After all, he is no different than a member of my family," the artist said. While the pictures are a familiar sight, in colour they offer a new experience. Incidentally, his sharp sartorial style might have had an interesting connection to the Harlem Renaissance. Gautam observed, "While he was studying in Columbia University, he would mingle with African Americans - especially since he identified with their struggle. It was also concurrent with the Harlem Renaissance, and the rise of the Blues. The suits, also a common feature among Blues musicians, represents that sense of upliftment you can find in his works." About whether Dr Ambedkar ever had a chance to listen to the Blues, the artist said, "Sadly, he was never really asked about it, or about music."
Previously a cloud kitchen in Lower Parel, Lil Gamby Pizza Shop and Bar opened its first dine-in outlet in Khar. The interior space marries the street culture and graffiti of East London, Brooklyn, Miami and Mumbai. "We picked [Khar] for its resonance with street culture, art and music in the neighbourhood," revealed Shaan Gidwani, founder and managing director, Acapella Hospitality. Dig into classics like pepperoni pizza and Nashville fried chicken, with a new extended menu of desserts, shakes and beer.
Alliance Française de Bombay (AF) is readying for its third Wall Art Festival, by uniting French and Indian artists to paint murals in 13 Indian cities, as well as in Sri Lanka, from October 1 till 21. Mumbai-based Aashti Miller of Millerink will paint murals in Thiru-vananthapuram, Mumbai and Bhopal. She shared, "The mural at The Bombay Gymkhana pays homage to the space with elements of sports in abstract motifs. It includes the iconic façade - triangular gable roof with the balcony. All three murals will be visually connected." Stéphane Doutrelant (left), director of AF shared, "Bombay Gymkhana, with almost 150 years of history, was a natural partner. We witness the intersection of art and sport, especially in the context of the upcoming Paris Olympics in 2024."
It's a good October for the city's cyclists. The month witnessed a cyclothon on October 1, that featured 1,000 participants. The route began and ended at Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road, and was led by Dr Viswanathan Iyer, neurosurgeon and bicycle mayor of Mumbai, who shared, "Cycling is the answer to good health, and a solution to traffic woes." The upcoming Hiranandani Thane Cyclothon on October 29, will be led by ultra-distance cyclist Kabir Rachure, who said, "It
raises awareness about sustainable transportation."
It is a busy few months for most musicians as the year winds down to a close. Indie pop singer, Zaeden, began his cross-country tour, Revelations, with the first gig in the city yesterday. The multi-city tour will see him perform across seven cities, including off-circuit metros like Indore, Bhopal and Nagpur. "After a substantial hiatus, I'll be gracing the stage once more and am deeply honoured to showcase the project," the singer shared. There are also plans to add more cities to the tour which will also see Zaeden bring out a new repertoire of songs, including his latest release, Aa mil. "I'm really excited about these new songs, visuals, stories and most importantly, creating new memories with the fans," the singer concluded.
