Seher’s annual Ananya Dance Festival is back with its exotic Purana Qila Backdrop and the Rasa of Indian Classical Dance

New Delhi: SEHER, one of the premier organizations in the area of performing and visual arts, presents Ananya Dance Festival 2009; its annual five-day classical dance extravaganza at Purana Qila which celebrates the beauty of Indian classical dance forms and focuses on group choreography in particular. The festival begins from October 03, 2009 till October 07, 2009 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. daily. The event is an annual feature by the Govt. of NCT of Delhi and SEHER and held in association with Sahitya Kala Parishad. The entry to the festival is free.

Sanjeev Bhargava, Founder of Seher & Festival Director of Ananya Dance Festival says: “In a world that is fast turning to western dance forms and an age where TRPs of reality television is growing, Seher’s motto has always been to preserve the Indian heritage and culture. We have succeeded in democratizing culture by first taking classical dance into public spaces like monuments and parks, and second, by imparting it a mass appeal. The festival will feature only choreographed group performances to match the colossal size of the venue.”

A brief synopsis of the festival is as follows:-

• October 3 - The festival opens aptly with an Odissi performance by the veteran danseuse Madhavi Mudgal and her troupe. Their performance during the festival will be from Kalidas Kumarsambhavam which will highlight the natya or dramatic element and conclude with an invocation to the sacred river Ganga.

• October 4 - Watch a theme-based Mohiniyattam act titled Sringara by Gopika Varma and her troupe. The performance begins with an invocatory item on Kamadeva and concludes with Jeeva, a dance number that symbolically shows the journey of the soul - the restless human form that transcends in the quest of knowledge and realization and eventually leads to the attainment of the paramatma or the greater soul.

• October 5 - The sister-duo Monisa Nayak (from the Jaipur gharana) and Moumala Nayak (from the Lucknow gharana) will perform Nartan, a musical journey that showcases the varieties of music used in Kathak during old, medieval and modern times.

• October 6 - Witness an avant-garde contemporary fusion by Astad Deboo and his troupe of eight Pung Cholom drummers of Manipur. Their performance ‘Rhythm Divine’ is a highly refined classical dance number characterized by the modulation of sound from a soft whisper to a thunderous climax; the dancers slowly pick up the tempo with perfect synchronization once they beat the drums. There is the interplay of intricate rhythms and cross rhythms with varying markings of time from the slow to the quick with graceful and vigorous body movements leading to ecstatic heights

• October 7 - The grand finale will show Bharatanatyam danseuse Rema Shrikant making her debut in Delhi with her troupe. Their performance commences with a recital of Ganpati Vandana and concludes with a brisk tillana.



PROGRAMME
(Featuring group choreographies)

Saturday, October 03, 2009: 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Odissi: Madhavi Mudgal & group (Delhi)

Sunday, October 04, 2009: 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Mohiniyattam: Gopika Varma & group (Chennai)

Monday, October 05, 2009: 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Kathak: Monisa and Moumala Nayak & group (Delhi)

Tuesday, October 06, 2009: 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Contemporary: Astad Deboo (Mumbai) & the Pong Cholam drummers of Manipur

Wednesday, October 07, 2009: 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Bharatanatyam: Rema Shrikant & group (Baroda)


Special Highlight: October 06 & 07 October, 2009:

A special seminar titled PRATIBIMB (A reflection on Ananya Dance Festival); an insight into how the choreographers who presented their work at Ananya retain the essential spirit of the classical form, while also being innovative and creative will take place on October 6 and 7 at Alliance Francaise de Delhi, 72, Lodi Estate, New Delhi from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The eminent panel of speakers will include Madhavi Mudgal, Monisa and Moumala Nayak, Gopika Varma, Astad Deboo, Rema Shrikant and moderator, Sudha Gopalakrishnan. The seminar aims to create a dialogue between the choreographers and the audience (young dancers, scholars, students and dance-enthusiasts) where the discussion will revolve around ‘classical’ dance in today’s world.

Gallery Ragini Juvenilia Juxtaposed through the lens of eight shutterbugs

Event: Gallery Ragini presents Juvenilia Juxtaposed, a group show of photographs that creates a quirky juxtaposition of various elements of urban Indian scenario, at Gallery Ragini, F-213 C, Lado Sarai, New Delhi from September 9, 2009 to September 26, 2009.

The participating artists include: Ajay Rajgarhia, Anshika Varma, Ashok Paul, Bandeep Singh, Laurent Goldstein, Sunando Mazumdar, Sephi Bergerson and Udit Kulshreshtha.
Says Nidhi Jain, Director, Gallery Ragini: “Photography is an integral part of contemporary art. One often comes across situations, which once captured, create a story in itself. Keeping this in mind, we have brought together this show where the participating artists capture the essence, the feel and the pun in the environment they live in.”
For instance are the series of photographs like Time, Glamour Stories & Parked and Washed by Udit Kulshreshtha. These works explain the artist’s mindset while he traveled though Baroda, Mathura and Old Delhi. A lot of these works bring out nostalgic past, scene which we have grown up and a few that still remain in our subconscious. His photograph titled Piyau (a water vending stall with earthen pots for public use) reminds how the place has been replaced by water sellers.

On the other hand, Sephi Bergerson, with a background in advertising, mostly focuses on lifestyle and food photography. He creates and develops a distinctive photographic language that combines his studio skills and his love for camera. His style is very straightforward and simple. He tends to create vivid, somewhat romantic images that have a ‘documentary’ look, but he also loves a brief, as this is where he gets an opportunity to explore and push himself further. Says Sephi Bergerson: “My commercial work has always influenced my personal projects that in turn helped me create further ideas. Though food photography remains my chore subject, the combination of different areas of photography keeps me going and helps me stay in love with my work. In my works at Ragini, one can find an interesting medley of the banana seller, the dosa maker and Mc Daonald’s Happy price menu.” Another professional photographer Bandeep Singh’s photograph in the exhibition carry a conceptual depth and is invigorated by his interest in mysticism and cultural thought.

While experienced photographers like Sephi Bergerson and Bandeep Singh display their expertise in the show, young and budding photographer Ashok Paul leaves no stone unturned to match the level of the exhibits displayed. His photograph titled Aarti taken in Vrindhavan doesn’t need much explanation as the picture in itself speaks about the importance of religion in our country. Cool dude with his favourite buffalo is another photograph on a village boy that depicts the ecstasy of the kid as he wears Ray Ban sunglasses and stands in style against his buffalo.

Yet another young artist Anshika Varma photographs deal with street and city life, characterized by still and abstract forms. Her photographs titled Spazio Lotte, Blue Book- Invocation and Frozen display the need to preserve the changing nature of our cities and customs through her photographs. Says Anshika: “An artist tells a story, not just by what she creates or captures but also by what she chooses not to. In my photographs, you will see a lone fruit seller fighting to survive an armada of refrigerated convenience stores, a local teeth maker standing against an onslaught of corporate healthcare, a hole-in-the-wall tailor pitting his skills against an army of international label, and the struggle between faith and a religion of brands.”

The exhibition thus is a unique mélange of photographs that seal the moment as captured by the shutterbug of an artist.

Gallery Ragini hosts ‘Platform’ for emerging contemporary artists

New Delhi: With the aim of supporting emerging contemporary artists, Gallery Ragini presents its new initiative titled Platform, a monthly feature of hosting the artworks of one emerging artist every month. The first display consists of acrylics by Suchit Sahni that would be showcased at Choko La, Khan Market, New Delhi on till October 4, 2009.

Says Nidhi Jain, Director, Gallery Ragini: “We will organize a year-long series of monthly shows by different artists. The entire programme has been conceptualized to provide a platform to those artists who are going to shape our future art market. As a gallerist, it is important to recognize these hidden gems who are our future as a little nurturing can help them blossom. It is like bringing these artists into limelight by providing an initial space for display to those who can’t afford solo shows.”

Adds Nidhi Jain: “We would be displaying about 6-8 works of the chosen artist in Choko La, where the sunlit room provides an apt environment for art accompanied by a relaxed cup of coffee. This concept of combining cafés with art is popular world over and with Platform we attempt to recreate the same combination in Delhi. However, this platform is not only limited to young emerging artists alone, instead works by those who started their career mid-life will also get a chance. For instance, art by R.C Pandey from Kanpur is scheduled for display next month at the same venue.”

Coming back to the self taught abstractionist Suchit Sahni, he has been chosen to open the series keeping in mind his approach towards youth and city life. Born in 1977, Suchit gave up a cushy business career to enter the world of art. Being born and brought up in Delhi, Suchit’s paintings reflect his understanding and observation of the city. The city through Suchit’s eye is a maze with complex facades, creating a line of illusion, separating people from inside and outside the buildings.

Inspired by the metropolis, his works are a reflection of his quirky self and focus on urban Indian scenario. Viewers can get a glimpse of whacky cars, peanut sellers and the Ghats of Banaras in his intriguing works.

Suchit mostly works with acrylic and engages with visual play of colour, lines and forms. Explains Suchit about his works: “My works are primarily abstract, with the occasional hint of a figure. I have a personal liking for colours and you will discover my canvasses pulsating with bold and bright hues of red, blue and green, speaking about youth and contemporary pop culture with a difference. Through my works, I have explored everyday symbol of urban environment. It attempts to capture the ordinary urban life shrouded with mystery, strife and essence of a city life.”
The entire body of Suchit’s works is design driven and dominated by elements of geometrical patterns. His work titled Metropolis is a colourful flux where images move into a realm of abstraction as if the artist sees the life of the city through a kaleidoscope.

Through the splashes of his vibrant colours, the artist creates a space where the treatment is contemporary but the subject very Indian, leaving open visual delights for the coffee- sippers.