09 January,2024 04:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Satej Shinde
A woman rides alongside vegetables in a tempo on Bandra-Kurla Complex road in Kurla West.
A section of clay elements from the upcoming installation
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In an event that blended feminism with rooted art, Lola Ben-Alon (inset), lab director and assistant professor at Columbia Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) joined environmental researcher Penmai Chongtoua, sculptor Sasha Fishman in a panel discussion moderated by Jay Shah, director, Access Architects, yesterday. The event was organised by 'Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai. Ben-Alon, Fishman and Chongtua are also at work on an installation to be presented at the Indian Ceramics Triennale: Common Ground in New Delhi next week. Ben-Alon said, "We join together as a collective of three women artists to form a strong inter-disciplinary dialogue. Reflections on Transcorporeal Feminism, is a site-specific clay and soil-based installation that proposes a reflection of the ground on which we stand." The panel discussion aimed to explore the epistemology of feminism that deepens our understanding of symbiotic earthly relationships and simultaneously helps us rebuild bridges between human and non-human beings, she added.
Last weekend, there was hardly a star in the Saturday sky, but there was enough stardust scattered below, across the quadrangle, or âQuad', as students of
St Xavier's College call the central pit of the college. Gathered for the 2024 edition of the annual alumni awards and dinner, former students of the college saw the night kick off with a performance by playback sensation Shalmali Kholgade, who belted out original English tracks and her Bollywood hits, getting teary-eyed later at receiving the honour from her alma mater.
Fr (Dr) Keith D'Souza, SJ, chairperson and the college's rector's address reminded the alumni of the Xaverian values of innovation, integrity and inclusiveness - all more than relevant today. Alumni achievers including assistant municipal commissioner Kiran Dighavkar; actor Saiyami Kher, veteran news anchor Rajdeep Sardesai; senior journalist and Mid-day Editor in Chief Tinaz Nooshian, senior advocate Aspi Chinoy, and artiste Melanie Duggal, were felicitated by principal Rajendra Shinde and Fr Keith for stellar contribution in their chosen industries.
In a fitting end, the basketball court doubled up as a dance floor as Duggal got the guests in blazers and kanjeevarams, to their feet. The college's retired professors - Nandini Sardesai (inset), also key organiser of the event, and former vice principal Dr Fleur D'Souza, and current heavyweights Fr Terence Quadros, SJ (who composed the new version of the SXC anthem) and Anita Rane Kothare, could be seen bonding with students over dinner and laughter in âThe Woods'. Nothing short of SoBo's take on the wonder years.
Gulzar (fourth from left) and Shantanu Moitra with the team on stage
It was a rare opportunity at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre last Sunday when the 89-year-old lyricist performed alongside composer Shantanu Moitra on the latest translations of Rabindranath Tagore's poems. Titled Tapur Tupur: Bacche, Bachpan aur Bachpana, it saw an auditorium filled with more adults than children, much to the lyricist's mirth. Unfortunately, it was also filled with quite a few buzzing cellphones. This, despite a pre-show request to turn their phones off, and the ever-vigilant ushers at the SoBo venue. Even the lyricist could not help but mention it as he said, "Like Tagore, we should occasionally dive into our pockets for memories. Not the pant pockets. You might find only those annoying mobile phones that ring at the wrong times." Touché!
The death well at Mahim Mela. Pic Courtesy/Amulya Rajwadkar
Amulya Amrit Rajwadkar's curiosity led him to the Mahim Mela, not for the typical carnival but for the daring spectacle within the maut ka kua (well of death) where motorcyclists showcase stunts. A hobbyist photographer, Rajwadkar (right), who missed the previous edition, was eager to capture the thrill of this daring act, "Ambient lighting and a lively audience enhanced the overall vibe."
He and his friend Omkar Bhogate were treated to a display of three stunts. He recalls, "First, a solo biker showcased a daredevil act. Then, another rider joined in for tandem stunts. The climax featured an act involving a Maruti 800. It felt like a scene from a movie," adding that he also noticed that some spectators handed out currency notes to the passing bikers.
