The Serendipity Arts Festival has been packed with enthralling arts, culture, music, and never-seen-before art installations and exhibitions, which have drawn hundreds of people to the various venues that the festival has branched onto. Here are a few highlights of the nine-day festival.
Made in Ilva
Based on real-life testimonies and poems from the workers at the ILVA steel plant in Taranto, this is a masterpiece of physical theatre and is a part of Quasar Thakore Padamsee theatre curation. The show is produced by Instabili Vaganti. Dora Dorno is the writer, director, lighting designer and has also provided live voice. The music is by Riccardo Nanni, and the performance is by Nicola Pianzola. The show is supported by the Italian Cultural Institute in Mumbai.
A Workshop on NFTs: A Game Changer for the Arts and the Creative Economy
Facilitated by Accenture speaker Pranav Arora, A Workshop on NFTs: A Game Changer for the Arts and Creative Economy was held in the Old GMC complex. The discussion was a much needed one in a changed post-COVID technology reliant era.
The Cocktail Masterclass by countertop
Curated by Prahlad Sukhtankar, the Cocktail Masterclass was also a massive hit, taking the participants through various styles of making cocktails with Goan Feni!
What is Public Art?
Moderated by Latika Gupta, the conversation grappled with the quintessential questions like "Isn't all art public?" or "What is public?" Prajakta Potnis, Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra, and Vidya Shivadas - the jury members of the Serendipity Arts Public Art Grant this year - also referred to their bodies of work to put forth their points of view.
Percussion Kings
Three powerhouses of percussion came together, taking The Arena by storm today. Curated by Bickram Ghosh; A Shivamani (world percussion), Bickram Ghosh (tabla), and V Selvaganesh (kanjira) left the audience mesmerised. Abhisek Mallick assisted the trio with the sitar and Anindo Bose with the keyboard.
Super Light
A unique performance by Swiss singer, musician and narrator Michael Fehr, merging the ritual of storytelling with the spirituality of music, created a magical atmosphere at the Old GMC (The Courtyard).
Tiranga
The Arena at the Nagalli Hills Ground came alive with Tiranga, conceived by Durga Jasraj, and produced by Durga Jasraj and Neeraj Jaitly in collaboration with the Pandit Jasraj Cultural Foundation.
The Library of Edible Issues
The Library of Edible Issues at The Courtyard, Old GMC, curated by Elizabeth Yorke and Anusha Murthy, is a selection of books fostering thought and conversation on the Indian food system through public participatory events and research projects.
At The Charpai Cafe, The Charpai Project, an installation curated by Ayush Kasliwal and co-curated by Ramayudh Sahu, explores the charpai from a historical and cultural point of view while carrying it into the future by inviting thinkers and designers to interpret the charpai.
Somewhere Ethereal
Somewhere Ethereal, curated by Mathieu Wothke, showcases the work of 6 artists: Snowfro (Erick Calderon), Town and Concrete (Cyril Lancelin), Six N Five (Ezequiel Pini), Maalavidaa (Alycia Rainaud), Luna Ikuta and Andreas Wannerstedt. This was first exhibited at Fotografiska, Stockholm, in a group show, presenting 6 NFT artworks from leading artists worldwide that sparked a debate on what NFTs could be, with each artwork encapsulating a parallel digital universe and creating an immersive experience.
A Guide to Indigenous Meitei Cuisine
A Guide to Indigenous Meitei Cuisine was curated by Prahlad Sukhtankar and facilitated by Maia Laifungbam. It focused on Meitei cuisine, its roots and exchanges with Bengali cuisine, highlighting ingredients and food methods, followed by tasting!