Intricate Designs EXHIBITION: Weaving Magic - Romance of the Kashmir Shawl from Kani to Paisley Inauguration: Or
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Intricate Designs EXHIBITION: Weaving Magic - Romance of the Kashmir Shawl from Kani to Paisley Inauguration: Or. Karan Singh Illustrated lecture: TheKashmir Shawl- A Collector's Journey. Aditi Desai November 30 - December 7 The exhibition is based on the collection of Aditi Desai, Like all modern collectors, the shawls have been acquired from diverse sources including those sold by dealers and collectors, or bought at auctions as well as flea markets. Her interest was developed at a young age and she matured into a serious student of the craft, following its history, analyzing its technique while being swayed by the sheer aesthetic appeal of the artefacts she acquired. The collection is interesting The collection of European items has an amazing because of several unusual aspects. As many as fifty range in patterns, without deviating from the original per cent of the exhibits are of European production. canons of decorative repertoire and placement in Rather than concentrating on the classic Kani shawl, design. There is the familiar red shawl so favoured in she has chosen to draw attention to many varied the French market but alongside is another, also of aspects of the tradition. French manufacture, in which the medallion-centred patterning is evocative of the Deccani tradition associated with Hyderabad. There are patkas, male '" ..••.-. accessories in costume, one of which presents an interesting surface of strips of patterning stitched together to form the waist girdle. There are also two square female shoulder cloths with a pleasing contrast in design-one bearing the classic Kashmiri imprint while accommodating itself to the new shape and style in wear, with the other stepping out of the traditional format in its delicate tracery of European- inspired floral design. Aditi Desai is to be thanked for offering us this unusual collection to savour and enJoy. • ~OTIKA VARADARAJAN , 0 --4" -. • 0"0 -, • , • pr?' • d' °0•• - _. ~~-..-~ \ ~~' ~ ;~ ,,"" ~ ~ ~ .' 0 'Preserving Heritage: The Socio-economic Imperative' was a stimulating panel discussion on what constitutes 'cultural inheritance'. Eminent scholars and practitioners from different fieldsdebated ways in which cultural traditions either struggle for sustenance or emerge in novel ways as they interface with modernity and changing social demands. Jaya Jaitley shared her thoughts on the changing conceptions of craft, and proposed the creation of One of the most exciting events at Heritage Week, ' a Hasta Kala Academy to promote 'culture through jointly organized by INTACH and nc, was a theatre crafts'. Geeta Chandran expressed dissatisfaction workshop by Feisal Alkazi. A master craftsman with institutional learning of the classical arts as they seasoned in stimulating young people, he led a mixed lacked in the rigour of training. Lotika Varadarajan as group of private school students through theatre games a historian' of textiles cited interesting perspectives of to explore and identify heritage in personal spaces, and change and conservation. The' uniqueness of design explore the city of Delhi that they inhabit. in the fabrics of the northeast, for example, was an Delving into the treasure trove of children's lives, example of the sustenance of useful tradition, with Alkazi used every trick of theatre such as trust modernity being absorbed with minimal interference exercises, freeze frames, silent tableaus, spontaneous with the essence. The illustrated talk by Priyaleen enactments, authoring dialogues and linking close Singh conveyed the value of monuments, arid the encounters of experience to help them understand history of towns as repositories of knowledge. monuments and the history of Delhi, and recall Narayani Gupta summed up by saying that heritage historical characters and the magnificence of our can be best preserved by inculcating love for the heritage. History learnt in personalized ways invokes country by love for your neighbourhood. the significance of the present as contributing towards future inheritance. • ASHASINGH Dr. Jain's presentation stressed the need for the Stasis and Decav professionalization of the workforce in these DISCUSSION: Art Matters - TheArts and institutions, while urging for the inclusion of the Public Institutions intellectual capital available in civil society. Suresh Panelists: Suresh Neotia; O.P. Jain; Kalyan K. Neotia lamented the present-day concern with art's monetary value and the lack of awareness Chakravarty; and Jyotindra Jain about the arts. Pointing towards the breakdown of Moderator: Ashok Vajpeyi the earlier linkages between the artistic producer, Collaboration: Raza Foundation, November 23 patron and audience, O'P Jain called for equipping the new generation of professionals with additional At this discussion organized jointly by the Raza skill-sets to manage these institutions. Kalyan Foundation and nc, the Jammu and Kashmir Chakravarty's concern was to highlight grassroots Academy of Art, Culture and Languages honoured level initiatives, to re-imagine a non-colonial history the renowned painter, S.H. Raza, for nurturing and therefore redefine what these institutions modernist art in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. can do. 'Ashok Vajpeyi began the discussion by underlining the ~s-- and lack of' vision afflicting public arts inStitutio~ '. DEEPTI MULGUND 2 out excerpts from her book where she described Journev into the Media her journey to Vietnam to report on the fall DISCUSSION: Breaking Ground - Journey into of Saigon. the Media... and Out Concerns surrounding. sexuality which gained Release of the book by Rami Chhabra followed prominence in the 1990s were another challenge by a panel discussion, November 20 for her. Justice Sachar spoke about her work with sex workers and her contribution to the Women's Rami Chhabra's book, Breaking Ground: Jourmy into Reservation Bill; Dr. Bhatty said that Rami and she the Media ... and Out which was released at the Centre had worked towards carving a space for women; covers the life, work and career of a journalist. Mr. Dua spoke of her grit in dealing with feminist Panelists Justice Rajinder Sachar, Dr. Zarina Bhatty, issues concerning women, children, and HIV Dr. Mira Shiva and Mr. H.K. Dua, and moderator Aids; and Dr. Mira Shiva complimented her work in Mr. S. Nihal Singh, discussed her career as a family planning, compulsory primary health, and journalist during the 1960s and 70s. Rami's work with empowerment and sensitization. The debate threw Mr. Malgaonkar, Editor-in-Chief of the Indian light on her achievements in policy advocacy and Express, was noteworthy, as also her skills in her ability, as Mr. Nihal Singh said, in dealing with investigative journalism. Mrs. Chhabra then read issues with determination and persistence. part of The Golden Ring of Russia and the Golden India and Russia Triangle of India, respectively. EXHIBITION: To Mark the 65th Anniversary of A comparative panorama that captured the very es- Diplomatic Relations between India and Russia: sence of the two cities: be it the silhouettes of Su- India and Russia - Unity in Diversity zdal bells and towers of Amber temples rising ma- Collaboration: Embassy of Russia jestically into the air; or a horse-driven carriage ride in Suzdal and an elephant ride in Amber; the beauty November 21-27 of white bougainvillea in a garden near the Amber fort compared to snowflakes as they cover the city This exhibition displayed photographs of two cities of Suzdal; stone archways in Amber to golden- in Russia and India -Suzdal and Amber-by profes- leaved branches of Suzdal that beckon you to walk sional journalist Evgenia under the autumn Lents. sun; and beautiful Through her photogra- photographs of plac- phy, Lents has tried to es of worship in each bring out the distinct and city. The exhibition characteristic features that captured the unique are hallmarks of each in- charm and myriad dividual city, and which flavours of the two have much in common cities, where the past with each other. has been beautifully interwoven with the Apart from being histori- cally significant and fa- present. mous tourist destinations, • SADHNA Suzdal and Amber form a SHRIVASTAV • ~,' _ ~ '~;~./ ~t.... il , "' M , , ....•..• he was also an excellent short-story writer, a probing Imag8S Inbolnd novelist and a prescient essayist with a generous and FILM: Images Unbound - The life and Times of accommodating mind that took cognizance of ideas Rabindranath Tagore that were shaping the larger international world. Director: Mujibar Rahaman, November 22 He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 and was knighted by the British. After the Mujibur Rahaman's documentary on Rabindranath massacre of civilians on Baisakhi day at Jallianwala Tagore (1861-1941), Bengal's immortal man-of- Bagh, Amritsar, in 1919, he returned his Knighthood letters and deeply concerned social thinker, is in protest. A political naif, he was almost fooled by completely sincere in intent though uneven in Mussolini, the fascist dictator of Italy, till Romain execution. The first ten minutes are interesting both Rolland, the great progressive Swiss-French visually and aurally and manage to create the right intellectual intervened and made him aware of the context and the right atmosphere for the story that truth. A surprisingly fine modern painter and music is to unfold. The director and his editor Debkanta composer, he also created Shantiniketan, India's Chakraborti have tried gallantly to grapple with the premier cultural institution. He was widely travelled vastness