A Confluence of Dance Styles Aspect of the Cosmos
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diary jashn-e-rekhta volume XXIX. No. 6 November—December 2015 the all-pervasive Krishna consciousness reflected in every A Confluence of Dance Styles aspect of the cosmos. Taking the recital beyond the ordinary PERFORMANCE: Anantham-Aanandam: A Journey was Deepti’s unique use of a Dandakam in Mohiniatttam Back to Godhead set in ragamalika by the dancer, the Anandabhairavi and Collaboration: Trikalaa Gurukulam Delhi Arabhi visualising the beauty of Krishna permeating the 9 November manifest and unmanifest. Anantham-Aanandam, the evening of a confluence of styles The all-Krishna accent saw Lata’s Bharatananatyam described as ‘a journey back to Godhead’, underlining number in Mohanam and Kalyani, including an impactful the one Truth permeating all creation, involved three teermanam combining the 3,4,5,7 and 9 arithmetic, and a dancers—Kalashri Lata Surendra in Bharatanatyam, very expressive Odissi number by Swapnakalapa, in Darbari Swapnakalapa Dasgupta in Odissi and Deepti Omcherry Kanada woven round the inseparable Radha/Krishna jiva/ Bhalla in Mohiniattam. Similar to the micro/macro Paramatma togetherness, in all cosmos with an enticing cosmic manifestations of water as a drop expanding to a dancing peacock visualised as one of the symbols of Prithvi. flowing river, the invocation of Samagana chants in the The final scene underlining the micro/macro nature of the basic ni,ri,sa notes symbolising the three levels of ‘Nada’, final truth had the well-known scene from theGita when the start of creation, expanded to saptaswaras (visualised in Krishna reveals his cosmic form, telling Arjuna about the nritta represented in Deepti’s Narayana namaskaram, and indestructible nature of the Paramatma. Chollukettu, Vasanta Jatiswaram by Lata Lata’s introductions, however, could have been crisp and and Pallavi by Swapnakalapa) with the short, with the dance communicating the experience. interpretative aspect communicating LEELA VENKATARAMAN The Three Dance Forms 1 exhibitions diary The art works Folk Tales from Egypt were made in EXHIBITION: Egyptian Folk Tales by Mohamed Abla different sizes Collaboration: Embassy of the Arab Republic and pasted to of Egypt the walls like 10-15 November mini cinematic screens. One entire wall of The renowned Egyptian artist, Mohamed Abla, recently the exhibition showcased his series Egyptian Folk Tales at the IIC Annexe was covered in Art Gallery. Remarkable for its sheer sense of exuberance, black cutouts—a the exhibition comprised a collection of mono- and central tree- poly-chromatic cutouts, mono-chromatic prints and oil like figure paintings. Abla uses the technique of shadow puppetry surrounded with in his work, some in black and others in bright colours. dancing people, All kinds of characters inhabit his canvas—birds, animals, flying horses, children, fantastical creatures all in motion, jumping floating fish and Folk Tales through Art and dancing. Inspired by the birth of his granddaughter other creatures. The work, at one level, is reminiscent of Reem, Abla began creating these wondrous stories through Bastar tribal art. Here, the viewer is invited to open their art—a world marked with abandon and liveliness. imagination and create stories of their own, leading to an Dealing with the world of children is fairly new to Abla, overall sense of childlike glee while viewing the works. with very few contemporary Egyptian artists delving into that field. NANDITA JAISHANKAR and Woman Exploring Lahore in Green Hat, EXHIBITION: The Lahore Series by Kamal Hyat were strikingly Inauguration: by Ms Anjolie Ela Menon whimsical and 14-22 November left the viewer lingering a little Kamal Hyat, a self-taught painter, explores the city of longer. Perhaps Lahore, to which he has returned after many years in the the work is best rather quirky exhibition titled The Lahore Series. Ranging encompassed in between 2008-2015, the works, acrylic on canvas and the words of art acrylic on paper, were playful and original. They seemed critic and curator, almost childlike in their bright, primary colour palette; and Salima Hashmi, in yet, they were gentle explorations of people and spaces, her introduction: relationships and stories of daily life. There were scenes ‘Kamal Hyat sets of the ordinary—a sabziwallah at Wazir Khan mosque, out to explore this a roadside barber, the Old Gymkhana revisited, along with world with relish. Kamal Hyat's Painting more abstract and intriguing works: Bird in Flight was It is precisely a close-up of a massive blue bird overpowering the canvas, this zest that he conveys to the viewer. Together with the and Terror Strikes in the City was incongruous for its use of artist, we are persuaded to muse on these modest vistas, bright colours—jarring in its depiction of the fear of regular which very gently reveal fresh insights into the seemingly occurrences. The portrait series including The Red Flower ordinary.’ (a woman with blacked-out eyes, a bright green bandana NANDITA JAISHANKAR and a large red flower on her head), Man in Dark Glasses 2 diary exhibitions Layered with Nuance EXHIBITION: Eye Movement by Ms Sukanya Rahman 18-24 November Artist, dancer and writer, Sukanya Rahman’s exhibition Eye Movement drew on the concept of the focus of the eye within Indian classical dance. The works were an interesting juxtaposition of the geometric and calligraphic, along with expressionistic and layering/collage techniques. Working with a variety of materials—acrylic, ink, tempera, wood bark paper, silk paper, khadi and other handmade paper—there was, as the title indicates, a sense of movement in all the works. There was a sense of playfulness through the use of vivid and contrasting colours in some cases, all the while being balanced and precise. In other works, the eye followed monochromatic blacks, beiges and silvers. Also reflected in the work was the contrast between Eastern and non-Eastern cultures—the artist spends her time between India, the US and Mexico, and these elements emerge in her work in interesting associations. The work is a nuanced layering of ideas and references from diverse sources, and a reflection of the artist’s own professional Sukanya Rahman's Exhibit avatars, along with a range of emotional and geographic orientations. NANDITA JAISHANKAR Dr. Menon raised our awareness of the paradox that artists, Artists and Climate Change who are visionaries and guides to society, are not treated EXHIBITION AND DISCUSSION: On Environment and with the respect they deserve and are often critiqued for Public Art these characteristics. Air Marshal Verma said that the IIC Speakers: Dr. A.G.K. Menon; Prof. Dr. P. S.N. Rao; was happy to provide the venue for the exhibition and Ms Amina Sherwani; Shri Neeraj Gupta; Air Marshal would always be there to support the cause. Prof. Rao said Naresh Verma that awareness could be raised through art and we should Chief Guest: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan make it mandatory for developers to spend one per cent of 2 December the cost of a public building towards public art. Ms Sherwani was indignant that the Constitution of India Today, climate change and environment are the subjects tells us to develop a scientific temperament but there is no of very intense debate and discussion. An extremely mention of developing an artistic temperament. She was of thought-provoking exhibition was curated by Delhi the opinion that this needed to be changed. Arts Society’s Neeraj Gupta, showcasing artists’ response to climate change. The twenty initiates were presented Dr. Vatsyayan concluded that artists do not have to use in well-illustrated artworks that were displayed in the material like plastic to make people aware of the problem Gandhi-King Plaza, a befitting environment for the of the environment. exhibition. POONAM B. SAHI 3 exhibitions diary light fell on forested slopes, creating a contrast of texture Myriad Hues and light. These images had a quality that juxtaposed an EXHIBITION: The Magic Realism of Light entire landscape with ‘painting with light’. An exhibition of photographs by Shri Hiranmay Karlekar Karlekar’s images of his travels through the USA, Turkey, 16-22 December Myanmar, and his home in Bengal, continued to highlight the theme and brought us photographs that captured When a veteran and erudite journalist showcases his work that ethereal quality we call ‘light’. In Arizona, it was a in the realm of photography, it goes beyond mere words. reflection of a tree against the windowpane of a car, and Thoughts are translated into magical images, and the in Myanmar, a corridor bathed in a river of golden light. outcome is an evocative display of photographs. Big Sur reflects light on cold water, and the imagery The Magic Realism of Lightcaptured just that. A series created patterns and illuminated the motion of waves. of images shot over a period of time focused on the A silhouette of a woman demonstrated shadow definition of images with the interplay of light. against light, and his other images strongly influenced Ramgarh, a small hamlet in Uttarakhand, was brought by nature are no doubt magical reflections of a to life in a series of images of breathtaking skies and concurring theme. Close-ups of two leaves revealed landscape. Glowing orange and fuchsia mingled the depth of texture and pattern infused with light. with the light of the setting sun. Tones of blue The exhibition was a journey traversing across from aqua to indigo came alive as the interplay mountains, oceans, and some exquisite imagery of changing light became abstract images on of ever-changing colours and hues of the a canvas, which is the sky. Leaden grey was vastness of the skies. shot with a fading pink, and moonlight peeped through the clouds. Bands of LOLITA DUTTA Photo from Myanmar Woven under very basic conditions, A Kaleidoscope of Carpets often moving the loom from one EXHIBITION: Carpet Stories place to the other, and without From the collection of Shri Danny Mehra using any formally defined designs, 18-28 December these carpets became a visual story narrated in a truly creative and free The tribal and nomadic carpets exhibited in Carpet Stories spirit.