2016
Surekha will talk about the Nightie Revolution, a unique project which explores the versatile garment, to understand its many meanings in contemporary India. She will also share her experiences as an artist over two decades at an intimate evening in our office.
An artist steeped in folk and rock music, singer/songwriter and poet, Akhu aka Ronid Chingangbam and his guitar will tell us many stories of music, protests, passion and so much more! Akhu is a founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist for Imphal Talkies and the Howlers, a folk-rock band from Manipur, India. The band released its debut album Tiddim Road in 2009, and has since performed across India and released some more albums.
A screening of Ramji Thakkar Bhimji Thakkar, by Shwetal Bhatt - a film on Navratri and Garba, the folk dance of Gujarat, capturing the energy of Navratri in the cultural city of Baroda. The film explores the bond between the festival, the city of Baroda and the director while tracing the evolution of the festival in Baroda, through swirling Garba sequences, pulsing music, and the passion of its people.
An evening of interactive storytelling with Vikram Sridhar, recalling a time when dusk meant tales under an open sky. The stories will delve into anecdotes from real life and biographies, fables and mythology, folklore and history, to connect us in the realm of imagination and lore.
Blank Page, a celebration of contemporary Indian poetry through theatre, music, and movement, by Tamaasha Theatre, Mumbai, directed by Sunil Shanbag, explores conflicted relationships, political resistance, identity, and the intense act of writing itself.
Handloom textiles for Pavithra Muddaya are tied to the stories of the weaver communities, of the relationship between society and its weaves. In this interactive session on handloom textiles, she will explore the names of particular motifs, their meanings and relevance in the weaver's life, while also touching upon the significance of colours, terms and techniques.
Exploring questions of identity and allegiances in the days of militancy movement in Punjab, through a discussion between the author of the novel Roll of Honour, Amandeep Sandhu, and IFA Executive Director, Arundhati Ghosh. Gritty, honest and tautly paced, Roll of Honour is a frank examination of the consequences of misplaced honour, loyalty, and integrity.
Beginning with a small group of five young children who called themselves The Pancharatna, the group's ranks eventually swelled to become Pancharatna Plus. Under the guidance of some senior residents, the group undertook the responsibility of saving the lake's biodiversity. Today after 4 years of consistent effort the lake has not only been restored, but has also witnessed a revival of its bio-diversity. Turtles, snakes, purple moorhens, and scores of other denizens have been rescued, and returned to their safe haven in the lake.
As the most astute and sensitive thinkers have noted, the fear of loneliness has tormented everyone at some point, through the ages of mankind. To Live: Case and Circumstance explores the double bind of denying any understanding of this innate fear, while simultaneously struggling to make sense of it in a world full of meanings and interpretations. This is a short journey, one glimpse of the eternal loitering and tarrying from one meaning/interpretation to another.
Explore the gritty narrative of mining in Goa, through a discussion between the author of Eat Dust - Mining and Greed in Goa, Hartman de Souza, and IFA Executive Director, Arundhati Ghosh. Eat Dust - Mining and Greed in Goa is a bitter journey that maps the vicious destruction of the ecology and culture of the Western Ghats in Goa.
Suresh Jayaram reads from his book, 1 Shanthi Road, that follows the journey of Bangalore's artist-led gallery, and studio space! 1 Shanthi Road studio/gallery is a unique space that has been engaging with contemporary art, in Bangalore, since 2002. Through its work that socially engages with art, the city, and the community, 1 Shanthi Road has cultivated a new audience at a critical juncture of contemporary Indian art.
