05 December,2023 01:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Anurag Ahire
A man scrolls through his phone beside a fsat food chain's mascot in Goregaon West.
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As hip-hop culture continues to spread its wings across the city's gullies and neighbourhoods, with many taking to high-end sneakers and oversized clothes as a form of self-expression, artist Abhay Sehgal kicked off in streetwear style a solo exhibition Add to Cart at the art gallery Method Kala Ghoda last week. "The hype culture is about seeking validation, both from the society and yourself," said Sehgal, explaining how his art pieces, which will be on display till December 31, are both an irony and a reality check about the choices the current generation makes. "This is the first time I have blended pop-art with surrealism to portray the never-ending hype," the 25-year-old revealed.
Shilahara Heritage Services, a community for imparting knowledge on Indian culture, announced last Sunday that it will now help people learn more about the past by offering professional research service on family and community history. "Many heritage enthusiasts are documenting stories in books with half-baked information. It disrupts history," explained founder, director, historian and author Sandeep Dahisarkar. He added, "So, if anyone is willing to document their family history and heritage [through biographies or coffee table books], we will get it done professionally." Those interested can head to @shilahara_mumbai.
The American jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy's visit to Mumbai last weekend marked nine years since their last India tour. While they are known for their fusion style that blends rhythms and genres, few expected them to bring on stage a very Indian sound to add to the ensemble. So, Purbayan Chatterjee's electric sitar on the band's rendition of Lingus was a pleasant surprise. "I have been friends with Michael League ever since he collaborated with me on my album, Unbound (Abaad)," said Chatterjee. With the band making a visit to India after a long hiatus, the sitarist reached out to ask if they'd like to collaborate. League, he said, was gracious enough to let him make the choice. "The choice was between Lingus and Shofukan. I chose the former because it is an anthem for fans. It also works well for the raga scale. You can play it in a Bhairavi or a raga Jaunpuri," he added.
Last week, Access for All, an Andheri-based inclusivity-oriented platform, conducted an insightful two-day session at Bihar Museum in Patna as part of their Biennale 2023. This was to commemorate International Day of Persons with Disability that was observed on December 3. "The idea behind this was to include persons with disabilities, and make the space more inclusive and accessible for them," said founder and disability expert Siddhant Shah. While on the first day, students from government schools and an NGO explored tactile and Madhubani art, the second day had a workshop for educators that stressed on sensory learning. "We wanted to show them how art can be integrated into the daily life [of specially-abled people] and can become a medium of inclusive learning," Shah revealed. He and the team will next head to Kolkata's tactile art gallery, Sparsh Drishti to explore the topic further.
You know it is marathon season when you need to put your best foot forward, that is even if you are dressed in the whole nine yards, or six yards, for that matter. Mumbai will host a sari walkathon of two-km distance at the MMRDA Ground, Bandra Kurla Complex on December 10. The website shows a ticking clock defining how much time is left for the Mumbai event. Yet, when this diarist called the contact persons for the event, all of them said they were not the âright' persons to give details but did not quite know who we should talk to. So, going by what we know about this walkathon, this is a walkie-talkie (less talkie, more walkie) showcase of the rich cultural heritage of India and is organised by the Ministry of Textiles. Some other places like Surat have already held sari walkathons and now it is Mumbai's turn to dignify and even deify the drape. Oh, ladeez who want to go the extra mile for the textile, log on to sariwalkathon.in to register yourselves and for other details.
