Serendipity Arts Festival 2024: Sun, sand and arts in Goa
Sohni Mahiwal’s tale told to Kathak moves
Making birdwatching accessible to visually impaired
Delving into the complex relationship between caste and food
Groundbreaking works from 5 Indian AI artists
The beaches of Goa are all set to once again resonate with arts and culture as the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF), a confluence of various genres, returns with its ninth edition, from December 15 to 22. This year, the curators, all of whom are distinguished in their fields, bring their expertise to more than 200 projects at more than 20 venues. The festival brings together multiple disciplines, including dance, visual arts, music, culinary arts, theatre, craft and accessibility.
Curating the section on dance is Bharatanatyam dancer Geeta Chandran. Accompanying her is Jayachandran Palazhy, founder and artistic director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts. Together, they bring to you ‘Sutra’, an Odissi dance performance, featuring Sharmila Biswas. It delves into the evolution of the classical dance form, combining traditional choreography with live music, projections and an interactive set design. Blending Punjabi folklore, kathak and Hindustani music is ‘Aqeedat, Love’s Union in the Divine’. It tells the timeless love story of Sohni and Mahiwal through the classical dance form of Kathak, set against a backdrop of Hindustani classical music. The dance would be performed by Delhi-based Divya Goswami.
In the visual arts section, Veerangana Solanki is joined by Thukral & Tagra. Solanki presents ‘A Haptic Score’, a multisensory experience allowing audiences to engage with art through touch and sound. Designed for accessibility, particularly for visually impaired audiences, this exhibition challenges the idea that art must be experienced through sight alone. ‘Multiplay’ is another highlight of this section.
Indus Creed’s Zubin Balaporia and tabla player and composer Bickram Ghosh would curate the music section, making it a vibrant mix of genres such as classical, pop, rock and classical. ‘One World’ by Zubin Balaporia brings together musician Lou Majaw and members of the pioneering rock band Indus Creed, along with Warren Mendonsa (Blackstratblues) and Pratika Gopinath (Easy Wanderlings); ‘The Three Divas’ features iconic vocalists Usha Uthup, Aruna Sairam, and Shubha Mudgal, each renowned for their unique contributions to music across genres. Curated by Bickram Ghosh, it was first presented to mark 25 years of Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam (also founded by SAF founder Sunil Munjal) earlier this year. ‘Shaam-e-Ghazal’, also curated by Bickram Ghosh, is a concert celebrating the timeless artistry of ghazal legends such as Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hasan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pankaj Udhas and Jagjit Singh.
‘Culinary Arts’ is another regular section at SAF. If last year there was a strong focus on indigenous food practices, this time it gets into the depth of how social hierarchies inform food choices. It has been designed by Edible Issues, a food systems collective fostering thought and conversation on the Indian food system through public participatory events, research projects, meetups, and more. The collective is run by Elizabeth Yorke and Anusha Murthy. While Anusha specialises in technology adoption to improve food systems, Elizabeth is a professionally trained chef and food researcher.
To SAF, they bring ‘Come Eat With Me’, an interdisciplinary theatre performance that delves into the complex relationship between caste and food through shared stories and a communal meal. Centred around Dalit cuisine, it begins with personal stories and oral histories from Sri Vamsi Matta’s household, and the community. These are intertwined with literature and academic discussions on caste and food, addressing themes of oppression, solidarity, grief, joy, and the resilience of the human spirit against systemic injustices. There is ‘Bring-Your-Own-Pickle’, a community-driven initiative aimed at celebrating cultural diversity through the sharing of achaar (pickles). This project emphasises the exchange of culinary traditions, microbes, and ideas related to pickling practices.
In theatre, past curator Quasar Thakore Padamsee is joined by Sankar Venkateswaran. A major highlight of this section is ‘Glitch in the Myth’ that reinterprets the Ramayana from the perspective of a young woman. This multidisciplinary performance combines spoken word, dance, and music to explore themes of power and resilience, offering fresh insights into the epic through a feminist lens. Mallika Taneja’s ‘Do You Know This Song?’ blends live music and storytelling to explore themes of memory and identity. The interactive performance invites audiences to participate in shaping the narrative, creating a dynamic and evolving theatrical experience. Another highlight is ‘Mattiah 22:39’. Set against the backdrop of a devastating drought, it explores themes of survival, love, and morality.
The ‘Craft’ section, curated by Sandeep Sangaru and Kristine Michael, explores Ladakh’s sustainable ingenuity and another exhibition, ‘Past Forward: Remix and Collaborations in Glass and Ceramics’ brings together contemporary and traditional artists working in ceramics and glass.
Inclusivity is the basic idea ‘Accessibility’, curated by Salil Chaturvedi. ‘Nature’s Symphony: A Bird Watching Adventure’ attempts to make birdwatching accessible to individuals with vision impairment. It also features ‘Blind Date with Friends’, a three-day festival project designed to foster connections and shared experiences between individuals.
Besides, there will be performance art, stand-up comedy evenings, concerts, and art shows. Art x Machine, a curated exhibition showcases ground-breaking works from 5 Indian AI artists, exploring the intersection of art and technology. AI MiniLab would be as an introductory space for audiences unfamiliar with AI-driven art. Curated by Gulammohammed Sheikh, ‘Bhupen In Goa’showcases over 300 works by the renowned artist Bhupen Khakhar, including paintings, drawings, ceramic plates, and sculptures.
