Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS) Mt Carmel’s Parish Unit is organising a workshop, Do’s and Don’ts of Diabetes Mellitus and the Prevention of Osteoporosis that offers free testing of random blood sugar test and HbA1c. There will also be an interactive session with Dr Vaishali Naik. Freddie Vaz, BCS, Mt Carmel’s Parish Unit said, “These camps are our way to offer a service with spirituality. This is open to members of all communities.” ON January 12, 10.30 am AT Mount Carmel Parish Annexe, Chapel Road, Bandra West. FREE
11 January,2025 09:03 AM IST | Mumbai | The Guide TeamWe all know that the repercussions of global warming are complex and multifarious. Take for instance, the turbulent cyclones that lash India’s coastline every year, or the unbearable temperatures during the summer months, or the gradual disappearance of certain animal species. While we in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world are struggling to mould our lives around this constantly changing climate, creatures in the frigid environs of the Arctic Circle, like the polar bear, are facing far more challenging issues. (From left) Marshall Escamilla and Lindsay Patterson. Pic Courtesy/Instagram In the most recent episode of Tumble, a science podcast for kids hosted by science journalist Lindsay Patterson and music teacher Marshall Escamilla, the conversation deep-dives into the life of the polar bear with the guest of the episode, Dr Andrew Edward Derocher, a polar bear scientist and professor of biological sciences at University of Alberta talking about his experiences with the furry animal. Right from busting myths, to learning about the bear’s habitat and eating patterns, the podcast breaks down complex concepts into nuggets of information for kids. Andrew Derocher With an introduction to the anatomy of the bear (they are not as cute and cuddly as is common perception), Derocher uses anecdotes to discuss his expeditions to the North Pole, and the impact of rising temperatures on the polar bear’s habitat. He explains how the formation of sea ice is integral for its survival and sustenance — a process that is disrupted by global warming. The hosts also detail how it is difficult for scientists and researchers to predict the animal’s reaction to climate change, given the scale at which the phenomenon is unfolding. The best option, they reveal, is to be mindful of consumption patterns along with a scientific monitoring of these animals to be fully aware of the situation. Imbued with humour, the hosts share crucial insights with a simple approach to resonate with children. There is a bonus interview episode in the Patreon page of the channel where Derocher talks about what happens to polar bears when they move to human towns. Log on to Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts
11 January,2025 09:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish KambleDadar-based Dr Sanjeev Shevade struggles to pinpoint the exact moment his orthodontics practice gave way to his passion for nature conservation. A classic case of the butterfly effect, we assume. But what he does remember vividly, is growing up in a starkly different Mumbai. “We didn’t only have more open spaces, but the citizens respected and took responsibility for the protection of these spaces,” he recalls. These spaces were home to Shevade’s favourite visitors, butterflies. Amidst shrinking green cover in the city, the second edition of the Butterfly Meet in Chembur organised by Shevade’s Vivant Untamed Earth Foundation and the BMC’s (West) M Ward, will be equal parts nostalgia and future planning. “There are nearly 233 species of butterflies from diverse families in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region alone. This year, all our activities are centred on conservation of urban habitats for these butterflies. One of the highlights is our first-ever butterfly rally, where groups of children representing these families will educate visitors at Diamond Garden in Chembur,” he reveals. Blue Mormon, the official state butterfly of Maharashtra. Pic Courtesy/Sanjeev Shevade The orthodontist is not alone in this endeavour. Enthusiasts from in and around the city like civil engineer-turned-artist Kishor Thakur, microbiologist Leena Pandharpurkar and architect Apurva Malgaonkar who has crafted an ode to the winged insects using nails and threads, will converge at the event. Young enthusiasts who have a knack for the crafts might want to sign up for the origami workshop by city-based collective Origami Mitra. “Taking the exhibition outdoors this year was a conscious decision taken in pursuit of reaching a wider audience beyond the usual naturalists and enthusiasts,” Shevade remarks. While the fun and games continue, those with a newfound passion for the insects can follow the team to the Alamu Hall near the garden where experts and scientists will dive deeper into timely discussions. Sometimes, the easiest questions are the most difficult to answer. A discussion that caught our eye answers one such question — why talk about butterflies in the first place? Shevade explains, “You might begin by studying butterflies. But they’ll lead you to the flowers they pollinate. Then, you’ll be drawn to the plants that host these flowers, and subsequently the trees. Studying butterflies is never merely about the butterflies.” Sanjeev Shevade Is there hope for young Mumbaikars to see the butterfly population thrive in the city once again, we ask Shevade. “Absolutely. Conservation efforts can be as simple as planting a curry leaf, marigold, or lemon sapling in your backyard. We encourage people to build such micro-habitats across the city, essentially creating a butterfly corridor. Whether butterflies arrive or not also depends on how efficiently we curb climate change. But in any case, having the red carpet rolled out is a good start,” he signs off. Exhibition and activities ON Today and tomorrow; 8.30 am to 5 pm (exhibition); 3.30 pm to 5 pm (activities) AT Diamond Garden, VN Purav Marg, Chembur. CALL 9372956558 ENTRY RSVP mandatory LecturesON Tomorrow; 9 am onwardsAT Alamu Hall, Shree Ahobila Mutt Road, Chembur. CALL 9372956558 ENTRY RSVP mandatory Spot me if you can Keep an eye out for these common species of butterflies in the city and its suburbs Great Orange Tip butterfly. Pic/Nimesh Dave Common Tiger butterfly. Pics/Anurag Ahire Blue Tiger butterfly Common Grass Yellow butterfly
11 January,2025 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish KamblePoets are dramatists, self-dramatists,” Jeet Thayil tells us. “We draw into ourselves every possible bit of bombast. We make ourselves grander than we ought to be because we don’t want to disappear. We don’t want to die. We want to live forever. And so, we place ourselves inside a lineage that is very likely imaginary, and connects us not just to Adil Jussawalla, Arvind Krishna Mehrotra, and Eunice DeSouza but to Ovid, Emily Dickinson, and Rimbaud.” After having declared in a volume of collected poems that his 2008 work, These Errors are Correct, will be “the last full-length collection of poems” he’d ever publish, Thayil returned to the artform — fortunately for followers of his work — with his new book, I’ll Have it Here (HarperCollins India). Dedicated to three poets, he admits that he wrote the collection carrying “mostly gratitude” in his heart. The book of poems is divided into three sections. As we read from the first to the last, the vision moves from the smaller details of the larger world to an eye that turns inward into the personal, the intimate. For instance, in the earlier section, in a poem titled Pet Sounds, Thayil glares at the champions of predominantly white music, who looked away from the artists singing from the peripheries: “You saw us only when you drove, /windows up, through certain neighbourhoods.” In another poem titled Lateral Violence Among the Model Minorities, he digs further into the reprehensible behaviour of the “predative” kinds within the oppressed communities, the “good” immigrants, the comfortably ideal minorities. He calls them the “satisfied or competitively middle class/when ranged among the paralysed natives.” This is the kind of poem one wouldn’t find elsewhere because Thayil’s politics does that. It takes a good hard look at the urban realities of the world. The poems become more specific to the Indian context as we read further. Gandhi returns as a house gecko in one. Meanwhile, in a ghazal titled February 2020, Thayil writes about the current political climate of the country, the first shiver of which was felt with the decision of the citizenship amendment law. In another, titled December 2020, he comments on the macabre state of the nation during the pandemic. The year 2020, undoubtedly, stood as the most terrifying year. Plenty of poems in the book carry the theme of impermanence and a sense of loss, so we asked Thayil if they were a result of the fear we’ve felt since then. “I didn’t think of it that way, but now that you mention it... These poems were begun during the pandemic, and I’m sure some kind of existential terror must have seeped through,” he shares. “Impermanence and loss, imminent or otherwise, is a constant theme of art. There’s no way to be alive without being aware of mortality and the passing of time. I think it’s a running thread through the moment we’re living in, that sense of apocalypse or post-apocalypse. Future dread. Survivor’s guilt. Rage against the dying of the light.” Thayil is a risk-taker. Not only does he write against the grain, he is also, daringly, one of the rare contemporary poets who continues to work with traditional poetic forms (the ghazal, sonnet, sestina), modernising them along the way. We wondered then, to a poet whose eyes and ears are so well trained, what comes first — the poem or the form? Thayil believes that it is best to stay away from delving too deeply into the process. “There is a chance, the chemistry, the mystery of the poem will disappear.” He adds, “Let me just say the poem decides the form, not me.” Additionally, his poems are sonically rich, and it is difficult to ignore the collaborative play between Thayil the musician and Thayil the poet. He tells us, “[The two] steal from each other all the time. No apologies. No explanations. Just wanton robbery. But nobody’s complaining. Yet.” In his previous collection, These Errors…, the poet meditated on the power of poetry to make him return to “sanity”. This one, as his last, has the power to salve our bruises, too. It stands as an antithesis to that infamous “brain-rot”, the Oxford word of the year, said to have occurred as a consequence of excessive consumption of presumably “trivial or unchallenging” content. Thayil’s work requires time, a few loud readings even. It is anything but unchallenging, and certainly a far cry from trivial. It speaks truthfully of the times we live in. He believes, “Even if ‘poetry makes nothing happen’ it survives, and always will survive, as a gift of prophecy and prayer. It’s exactly when the climate is fraught that we need the consolations of poetry.” Cost Rs 599Available At leading e-stores and bookstores Thayil’s current favourites . Adil Jussawalla’s Body of Evidence. Sumana Roy’s Provincials: Postcards from the Peripheries. Upamanyu Chatterjee’s Lorenzo Searches for the Meaning of Life. Ranjit Hoskote’s To Break and to Branch: Six Essays on Gieve Patel. Ranbir Sidhu’s Night in Delhi. Shahnaz Habib’s Airplane Mode: A Passive-Aggressive History of Travel
11 January,2025 08:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Nandini VarmaRooted is an oft-misused word in the business of writing. From films to personalities, themes and subjects, the adjective is latched on to describe anything remotely connected to artworks that uphold simple, native vibes. One could never ascribe it to The Tapi Project. While every sound produced by the band emerges from a long tradition of folk music, philosophy and poetry, the Surat-based collective is constantly reinventing themselves through their sound and journeys. As founder and songwriter Yogendra Saniyawala points out during our conversation, “Music is a constantly moving medium, not a stagnant one.” True to their word, the quartet of Saniyawala, vocalist Swati Minaxi, percussionist Gaurav Kapadia and keyboardist Biju Nambiar are in preparation for their upcoming performance at Scotland’s winter folk music festival, Celtic Connections. “Essentially, winter is not a time for big music festivals in the West. Although we have been touring Europe for the last six or seven years, it has mostly been in the summer,” shares Saniyawala. On January 25, they will team up with Aziza Brahim, poet and singer, whose songs speak of the stories of the Saharawi people from the western part of the Sahara Desert. The band in performance in Bengaluru. Pics Courtesy/Instagram These journeys are an important part of their evolution, admits vocalist Swati Minaxi. “Our travels opened up many horizons that influenced the sounds we chose to develop as a band,” says Minaxi, whose sensibilities of handicrafts also shape the band’s look on stage. Saniyawala chimes in, saying, “We came out of Surat, a city of business, and quickly learned that the only way we could be different was to be ourselves. From Swati styling our outfits, to discovering and engaging in different art practices, it informs our music.” Their latest single, Varsaad, is an example. Created in collaboration with Raghu Dixit, the song was actually born during a jamming session between Saniyawala and Minaxi on tour in Japan. “Music for us is not a contrived effort. A song is essentially an expression, and will only come into existence if you are not married to the result,” the vocalist states. Swati Minaxi Their determination to be recognised as a live band has also led them to embrace a life of being on the move. “I remember in 2022, we toured Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Our tour manager was a Belgian man, who said this wonderful line: ‘Comfort is the beginning of the end’. I suppose we have embraced it. For us, the live performances are where our music comes to life,” reveals Saniyawala. Minaxi shares how the band shares a curiosity towards different art practices. “We just shifted to analogue cameras for recording our shoots and rehearsals. Also, we perform with IEM (In-Ear Monitors). But for Celtic, we will be performing without those. It will be akin to revisiting every song in a different way,” the vocalist points out. The band will also be revisiting their songs in another way. Saniyawala reveals that the collective is working on a larger project with a UK-based orchestra to create a larger soundscape for their existing works. “It is a 15-piece orchestra, and the vision is quite grand in terms of sound and scale. We will also have the conductor Shri Shriram travelling down to India later this year, and working on the project, before the first performance in the UK,” he reveals. With a few more releases planned for later in the year, 2025 promises to be a highly productive one for The Tapi Project. LOG ON TO The Tapi Project on Spotify ON January 25; 7.30 pmAT Òran Mór, Scotland. LOG ON TO celticconnections.com The Scottish winter celebration Founded in 1994, Celtic Connections is widely considered as one of the largest winter music festivals in Scotland to celebrate folk, roots and world music. Held in Glasgow, the festival features over 300 international artistes, with workshops and sessions held between January 16 and February 2, 2025
11 January,2025 08:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram IyengarThe New Year often sees people hit the gym with a vengeance trying to undo all the wrongs of the past year. This weekend, Madh Marve beach will see a different set of people trying to work out, not just to build their physical health but also their social and mental health. Organised by SAHA, a collective working for the welfare of neurodivergent individuals, the beach workout session is an opportunity to build and foster a new community of neurodivergent individuals across the city. (From left) A volunteer helps a child pet a goat during an earlier session; participants fill out activity sheets “Physical fitness is a key part, and often least addressed, among neurodivergent individuals,” shares co-founder Aarti Parikh. “For many individuals, stepping out can be challenging owing to the constant overload of sensory stimulations in a city like Mumbai. But holistic health requires both mental and physical fitness,” she notes. Starting out as an educator, Parikh found common ground with fellow founders, Jalpa Mehta and Gopal Bhagwat, who share a fondness for sports. SAHA, a term for togetherness, was founded to build a community of, and for, neurodivergent individuals. “Our vision is to build a social community for neurodivergent individuals. We conduct several mixed events to maintain a balance between emotional and physical wellness; from petting sessions to monsoon trails at Mahim Nature Park and the BNHS Conservation Education Centre in Goregaon,” reveals Mehta. Aarti Parikh, Jalpa Mehta and Gopal Bhagwat The session on Sunday seeks to help people learn a few easy workouts, while regaining the comfort of being in an open space with new people. “Apart from physical fitness, what these activities seek to establish and build is an understanding of interacting with new people,” Parikh adds. With sports instructors and qualified professionals at hand, the initiative will also be prepared for individuals who find themselves overwhelmed. “The comfort of the individual is paramount. We always reach out to them beforehand to understand if they have any major anxieties and to learn if they have any issues with mobility. There are no hard and fast rules for our sessions. We do not mind starting late to accommodate our members,” co-founder Bhagwat chimes in. He points out that the early start for the session is an effort to avoid the city’s chaos of the day. The bustle is one reason why working outdoors can be stressful for neurodivergent individuals, admits Parikh. “We ask our participants to dress comfortably and bring along water, as well as sensory resources such as noise cancelling headphones or fidget toys that they prefer. As an alternative, we also bring along a few to help them in case they find themselves overwhelmed,” she notes. “These sessions are steps to build a community, and give neurodivergent individuals an opportunity to experience the world in the same way as a normative individual does,” Mehta concludes. ON January 12; 7 am to 9 amAT Aksa Beach, Marve Road, Aksa Village, Madh. LOG ON TO @saha_togetherness (to register, along with medical requirements)CALL 9137848916 (limited seats)Cost R1,200 (participant and support)
10 January,2025 09:43 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram IyengarEntrepreneur and storyteller Upasana Makati’s new audio story opens with its visually impaired protagonist Amay’s ode to Mingo, the mango tree in his backyard. “Mingo is a patient listener, but when she’s tired of my bickering, she throws some dry leaves at me,” Amay chuckles. After all, environment is his favourite subject at school, and also the theme for his upcoming birthday party at a Braille-friendly nature park. “Amay and the Braille Trail is not a sob story. Contrary to prevalent belief, individuals with visual impairment can lead a joyful life with the right people and facilities around them,” Makati reminds us. Students at the Valsad coaching centre watch the story during a break Released on World Braille Day (January 4), the story brings to life vivid sensory details like the aroma of grandma’s fresh batata wadas, which the family later tucks into amidst the sounds of songbirds and streams of freshwater flowing through the park. Paired with illustrations by Subodhini Lakhi, it’s enough to keep even an adult listener hooked. But for Arsh Ahuja, a four-year-old listener, it strikes a special chord. “Arsh’s favourite bit is that Amay is just like him. He reads Braille, loves nature, and can recognise everyday sounds. Finding a character that resonates with him, in a positive way at that, is rare,” points out his mother Tanya Ahuja. Arsh and Tanya Ahuja We expect to hear about museums, zoos and amusement parks when we ask the mother-son duo what spots in the city they’d like to see become Braille-friendly soon. Tanya’s response is a timely reality check for the city that is undergoing metamorphosis. “Schools need to be more inclusive and understand that with small accommodations, children with blindness can blend well into their ecosystem,” she notes, adding, “Arsh is growing into an avid foodie. He would love for restaurants to have menus in Braille.” Not far away in Gujarat’s Valsad, educator Avinash Kaur is ensuring the story reaches impressionable audiences in her coaching institute. “I scanned through the English textbooks from grade six to 10, and there is a concerning lack of stories that teach empathy. Amay’s story is a concise, yet gripping way to inculcate that value. While the students seemed to understand the nuances, they are already past their foundational years. Earlier introduction to such stories would have been great help in hindsight,” she shares. Avinash Kaur and Upasana Makati Rest assured, Makati is working towards changing that, one story at a time. In addition to four Braille books that her publishing company White Print has already released, the audio stories are set to become a regular feature. “This story was inspired by my visit to the Aarey Forest years ago where I realised how inaccessible it was for someone with sensory impairment. There is no dearth of such spaces that can do with a Braille revamp. As long as these spaces exist, we’ll create stories to remind people of the work that needs to be done,” she signs off. Log on to White Print on YouTube (for the audio story)whiteprint.in (for the books) AI for an eyeMicrosoft’s Seeing AI app can come in handy for individuals with visual impairment. By simply pointing the camera at objects, the app narrates the surroundings to the user. Available: All app stores
10 January,2025 09:42 AM IST | Mumbai | Devashish KambleColdplay. Ed Sheeran. Dua Lipa. Mumbai is now a preferred venue for touring music icons. Yet, the city offers an equal opportunity to musicians looking to explore an alternative avenue. The new music initiative, Umbaaro, will host one such experience, Baithak: A classical soirée, that highlights the intimacy of music this weekend at Lower Parel. Guitarist Aniket Gundewar reveals, “Indian classical music is generally an intimate performance art. It is important to understand that the idea of large concerts for classical music is fairly new. A smaller space is more appropriate for this form.” A student of Pandit Atulkumar Upadhye, Gundewar’s use of the electrical guitar as an instrument for Hindustani classical ragas stands out. He describes the style as one that combines the ‘gayaki ang’ and tantkari tantra techniques. “Even as a performer, playing near the audience is a welcome change. Often, we can hardly read the expressions or the reaction of the people who listen,” he shares. Shanaya Shah and Shivangi Buch Gundewar and tabla maestro Alpesh Moharir have shaped the concert to suit a certain flair and tempo of ragas and rhythms. The key is to be playful, fun but intricate in performance, he points out. “I plan to begin the concert with an alaap on the guitar, before slowly segueing into a faster tempo. Alpesh (Moharir) will join me in a jugalbandi of taals, before we finish on a fast tihai,” the guitarist reveals. Umbaaro, co-founded by Shivangi Buch and Shanaya Shah gets its name from the Gujarati term for threshold. The choice of a design and artisan furniture store for the concert was intentional. Buch, an architect by profession, admits that she had always been on the lookout for musical experiences that utilised spaces as part of the experience. “I wanted to start something where music is more than just a sound-based experience, where the space also matters.” For Shah, the idea appealed to her artistic sensibilities. “For us, the venue offers a chance for the artistes to perform amidst hand-crafted looms and furniture, while the artisans are present and working. It adds another layer to the experience, for the musicians as well as the audience,” says Shah. Going forward, the founders will seek out spaces that blend art and heritage, while returning to musical roots. “It is an effort towards cultural revival and a move away from the big concert fervour that is taking over everything,” says Shah. The performance on Sunday will be the first step in that direction. ON January 12; 4.30 pm to 6 pmAT Zeba Design Center, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel. LOG ON TO@umbaaro on Instagram (to register)CALL 9930586325ENTRY Rs 1,200
10 January,2025 09:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Shriram IyengarThe two-month-old restaurant, Hitchens, was started with the idea of keeping the conversation alive with soft, transcendent music, and a dedicated space for live performances. The weekend performance will mark the return of New York-based vocalist, Priya Darshani who was raised in Mumbai. “I’m excited to be back in the city and to be performing at such an intimate venue,” she says. Her first solo album, Periphery, was nominated for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2020. Darshani confirms that this performance will showcase a few tracks from the album and it will be performed as a duo with Max ZT on the hammered dulcimer. “I think the hammered dulcimer has beautiful dynamics and feels like an orchestra in itself,” adds Darshani. Max ZT’s performance on the hammered dulcimer A hammered dulcimer is a percussion-stringed instrument, and the Grammy-nominated artist Max ZT is a pioneer of the instrument. He also performed at a venue in BKC earlier this week. This weekend’s performance will also include tracks from Grammy-nominated album On Becoming by House of Waters (2024). The artiste developed his sound after decades of study in various parts of the world. He takes pride in the fact that he learnt to build the hammered dulcimer himself. He went on to win the National Hammered Dulcimer Championship in 2005. “My parents say that I first saw the hammered dulcimer when I was two, and was instantly mesmerised. Priya Darshani I encountered the instrument again when I was seven, and convinced them that this was something I had to pursue,” he recalls. This performance will be held at the event space on the first floor, while the ground floor space will still be operational for dining. “All the seats, including the bar stools are placed facing the stage so that every guest can experience the event,” shares Pratik Motwani, creative and operational partner, Hitchens. He also mentions that the audio system at the restaurant space downstairs will relay the performance. So while the other diners may not be able to view the artists perform, they can enjoy the music during dinner. On January 11; 8.30 pm onwardsAT Hitchens — Cocktails and ideas, Plot 490, Khar West.LOG ON TO @hitchens.indiaEntry Rs 1,500
10 January,2025 09:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Evita RocheThursdayAbout the Buddha Go back in time with this historical lecture by Tagore National fellow and professor Himanshu Prabha Ray on the modern search for The Buddha’s relics.Time 5.30 pmAt The Asiatic Society, Town Hall, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort. FridayCelebrate the legacy of Pandit CR Vyas Pic Courtesy/Instagram Attend this musical event honouring the legacy of Hindustani vocalist late Pandit CR Vyas with a recital by Sharvari Nagvekar Vaidya (below) and a tabla jugalbandi by Pandit Anindo Chatterjee and Anubrata Chatterjee.Time 7 pm onwards At Veer Savarkar Auditorium, Shivaji Park, Dadar West.Entry First-come-first-serve basis Jungle Jaunt A moment from a previous trek. Pic Courtesy/Instagram Escape the chaos of the city and embark on an expedition of the Aadrai jungle trek which takes you through the lush terrain of the Sahyadris. Time 9.45 pm Meeting point Sanjay Gandhi National Park main gate, Borivli West.Log on to treksandtrails.orgCall 8828746865 Cost Rs 699 onwards SaturdayKoliwada calling Explore Worli Koliwada with this event by The Heritage project and LYP Mumbai that features a sketch walk and a performance by Tejas (below) and Band. Time 4 pm onwardsAt Goradabkal Ground, Koliwada, Worli. Log on to @theheritage.project (registration required) Rewind, rejuvenate Attend this all-ladies aerial yoga and pilates ring session with expert guidance from professionals to de-stress and relax your body. With exercises for beginners as well as fitness enthusiasts, the session will focus on improving core strength, balance and flexibility with the use of props such as hammocks. Time 9.30 am onwards At Namaste Yoga Classes, 302 A, Jeevan Bharat, 17th Road, near Khar Gymkhana, Khar West. Log on to in.bookmyshow.com Cost Rs 799 SundayA modern love story Attend The Open Couple, a thought-provoking play directed by Faraz Khan that explores the complex gender dynamics of a couple in an open relationship.Time 5 pm to 8 pm At Chaubara by Veda Factory, Bungalow No. 18, Aram Nagar Part 2, Machlimar, Versova, Andheri West. Log on to insider.in Entry Rs 399 onwards Shop hop Laugh away the woes of the week gone by with Kisi ko batana mat, a set by stand-up comic Anubhav Bassi filled with amusing anecdotes in his characteristic storytelling style and funny observations. Time 8 pm onwardsAt Birla Matoshree Hall, Vitthaldas Thackersey Marg, Marine Lines. Log on to in.bookmyshow.com Cost Rs 1,999 onwards Shop hop Indulge in a Sunday splurge at Swadeshi Haat offering crockery, handicraft products, ceramics, local spices and textiles from various states of India.Time 11 am to 9 pm At MMRDA Ground, near Punjab National Bank Towers, BKC
09 January,2025 08:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Divyasha PandaArtist Viraj Khanna has spent his life around art, embroideries and textiles. The 29-year-old’s first job was to look after the embroidery department of his family business in Kolkata. Khanna would price different samples and discovered different embroidery techniques up close during this time. Inspired, Khanna, a business administration graduate, is now pursuing a Master’s in Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Chicago. Untitled, 2024, acrylic on fibreglass Khanna has had several solo and group exhibitions; even acquisitions, since 2021 and uses embroidery techniques and his love for collaging to present visual narratives of his interpretations of the world we live in. Brain Rot: The Life You Live? is a curated series of sculptures and embroidered textile collages by Khanna that continues his satirical exploration of our digitally defined modern lifestyle. This is a very expensive jacket, 2024, hand embroidery on textile Brain rot was Oxford’s word of 2024, and Khanna quotes Newport Institute to define brain rot as a condition of mental fogginess, lethargy, reduced attention span, and cognitive decline that results from an overabundance of screen time. “This show is very personal. Through this show, I am thinking about how much social media influences us in different ways. My works depict the multiple ways in which I navigate different platforms. I am commenting on the perceptions we create through the images that we share on Instagram. We depict a perfect life in a way, and this is usually far from the truth. Earlier social groups would be smaller and the comparisons would just be within those smaller groups and it wouldn’t affect us much. We look at thousands of people together today,” comments Khanna. He rues that everyone, including him, knows that the overuse of social media is bad, despite that we use it extensively. Viraj Khanna works in his studio “I cannot leave it because it is important for my career, even though it always stresses me out,” says Khanna. About his process, Khanna’s textile works are usually painted first or collaged at a smaller scale. These images are then enlarged, and Khanna makes a khakha (or an embroidery blueprint) out of it for embroidery. Khanna loves the process of layering and experimenting with embroidery for art and works in collaboration with karigars to bring them to life. The importance of the Indian craftsman-connect comes from his earlier days in his family business, and his mother, acclaimed designer Anamika Khanna. But it’s not just textiles and embroideries for Khanna. Brain Rot includes acrylic on fibreglass sculptures with a recurring outlandish face seen in Khanna’s previous works too. This leitmotif, says Khanna, was the first ever design he created, and that’s why it’s meaningful to him. “These were designed using paper collages created from fashion magazines and other books. My practice began with this sketch, and I have been taking it forward since then. Collaging is quite instinctive by itself and it reflects my aesthetic in a way,” reveals Khanna. Sanjana Shah, creative director of Tao Art Gallery says that Khanna’s works are visually vibrant and attractive, but once you spend some time, the deeper concepts trigger introspection in the viewer. “This duality is interesting. While his art asks pertinent questions, there is rarely anything heavy or judgemental about the presentation. This balance makes his art enjoyable and perhaps also educational,” says Shah, about the artist who will make his solo debut in the USA this year with an exhibition at Rajiv Menon Contemporary in Los Angeles. At: Tao Art Gallery, 165, The View, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli. Till: February 9; 11 am to 7 pm (Monday to Saturday), 12 pm to 6 pm (Sundays) Call: 24918585
09 January,2025 08:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Dhara Vora SabhnaniADVERTISEMENT
