17 October,2024 06:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Ashish Raje
A group of boys use waste material as a makeshift boat as they paddle away in the waters off Badhwar Park in Colaba
Artiste Dot performs at a previous edition of the fest
For the first time, Kommune's annual spoken word festival will head east, to Shillong on November 20. "One of the major reasons for our expansion is because of their cultural significance and vibrant artist communities. Shillong is a hub for performing arts, especially music; thus, it has been a very exciting space for us," its founder Roshan Abbas (inset), told us. Teaming up with the Cherry Blossom Festival, the event will feature local artistes and also have programming in Hindi, Khasi and English languages. "A festival grows with its audience, and we are hoping to be present in more Indian cities as well as an international edition in the next two years," he shared.
A moment from an earlier performance. Pics courtesy/Instagram
City-based band ONEmpire is planning a tribute concert to Taylor Swift and Harry Styles at Lower Parel this Saturday, When Harry Met Taylor, in which they will blend tracks by both pop stars. The performers include Zarir Warden, Karen D'Souza, and Samantha Fernandes on vocals; Vedansh Tripathi on drums; Ralph Godinho playing bass; Garth D'Mello on keyboard; and Gavin Cason playing the guitar. "The line-up will showcase popular tracks like Love Story and Watermelon Sugar," Warden told this diarist, adding that they are keen to take the tour to other cities like Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
Sea Lost, a collage made using 100-year -old paper; (right) Gary Curzai
When was the last time you heard waves crashing? For a community in the 1970s, it was right outside their homes - until it wasn't. ReClaimation, an exhibition, plays on the word reclamation, often linked to gaining land, but here it reflects a profound loss of land, livelihood, and culture. Through multimedia formats, the exhibition documents the stories of those affected by Bandra's reclamation. "It aims to show the connection of Bandra with the sea, record the memories of Koli families, to make people aware of the impact of the reclamation and encourage reflection on sustainable development," said Gary Curzai, art director of Indo Anglo studio. The exhibition features five installations created over a period of two weeks by brothers Gary and Liam Curzai, both East Indian Kolis. "We grew up hearing stories from our elders, for whom the sea was everything. We've transformed these stories of trauma into various art mediums," added Gary. Shormistha Mukherjee led the documentation of the stories and conceptualisation of the exhibition. The display will be featured as a part of the Artworks Fest at Bandra's Pioneer Hall on October 19.
Artists of the Aerosol Intelligence crew create the grafitti in Marol
If you're heading from Marol to Aarey by road, chances are, you might spot a striking graffiti mural in freestyle Devanagari created at the entry of Aarey below the SEEPZ bridge "I have used Devanagari instead of English because it suits my name and gives my work a better flow. I also wanted to break away from the Westernisation associated with graffiti, and tap into the essence of my native language, Hindi," explained graffiti artist Dkrypt. Two new members of the Aerosol Intelligence crew Carter and Aeon, collaborated with Dkrypt to create this vibrant art piece. "Our crew aims to bring second-generation graffiti writers under one unified banner in Mumbai," he added. The artists used similar colours to ensure a cohesive flow while preserving their individual styles. "I will be representing India at the upcoming Graff for Nation exhibition organised by the National Art Gallery Malaysia where I will showcase my signature Masala Flow style in Devanagari graffiti," he revealed.
An illustration by Anjali Menon, a participant at an earlier edition
Khar-based NGO Point of View and Signable App are collaborating for a giveaway, Constellation of Love and Trust. Signable connects people with hearing disabilities with certified sign language professionals. The initiative is a celebration of the artistic expression of the participants' unique experiences. The artworks can be submitted by today. Three winners will receive a copy of the illustrated book, Skin Stories, an anthology of personal narratives by people with disabilities. "People with disabilities from across India can participate by submitting the artworks in any form like poetry, painting, or a film," said Shazia Qureshi (inset), project anchor for disability at Point of View.
