The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...
The
Kala Ghoda Art Festival is something I look forward to, year after year. In 16 years, the
festival has grown, from a few art displays and events on Rampart Row to a 9
day fest, with 450 events, spread out across 11 venues. As I walk down the
crowded lanes jostling with people eager to click a ‘selfie’ with every
display, I can’t but help contrast the scene with the early years of the fest.
Then, a few ‘arty types’ attended the event, and discussed knowledgeably about
the displays, while students like me who knew little about art wandered around,
trying to make sense of what the artist intended us to see. We were eager to be
a part of the fest, mostly because this was the first such event in Mumbai.
Though, over the years, the art and event scene in Mumbai has improved, the
KGAF still holds its own, in variety, as well as accessibility; which is why
massive crowds throng the venues, day after day. With my intense aversion to
crowds, the only way I have managed to enjoy the fest in recent years, is by
turning up on weekday mornings, before the rush sets in, which means that I
miss out on many events and walks, since of course, I can’t spend the whole day
there! However, since I am happiest walking around the visual art displays, I can’t
really complain. Here then, is the Kala Ghoda Art Festival (KGAF) 2015, through
my lens….
 |
The Kala Ghoda!
|
The
name of the festival, as well as the area it is held in, comes from a sculpture of Edward
VII mounted on a horse, which once stood here. The sculpture has been moved to
Rani Baug, more popularly known as the Byculla Zoo, but the name endures! Over
the years, the Black Horse has been seen in many avatars at the fest, but in
recent times, it has given way to other animals, and this time, the crow!
 |
| Kala Kauwa…the survivor bird with a touch of wisdom! |
We
noticed these wheels, some lit up with tiny bulbs, and others with mirrors stuck on them to
reflect the light…. They added an interesting touch to the scene…
As did
these buntings tied around the trees…
These threads
hanging from the tree…
And these bangles,
a part of one of the installations.
This
year, I found
these small touches a lot more interesting than many of the installations. One
of the installations that caught my eye was this…. In Transition - depicting
the transition from celluloid to digital medium.
Most
eye capturing
were the beautiful butterflies…
Metamorphosis, depicting the abstract journey of
metamorphosis as the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly was surely the exhibit drawing
the most crowds! We loved the paintings on the outer walls, and the play of
light inside, though thanks to the crowd, I didn’t manage any decent photos.
Samhith especially liked this one, and this
was the only exhibit he posed with, eagerly!
The only other display he liked was Seven Islands in the Sea of Hope, depicting the seven islands of the city of Bombay... and hopes tied in the area we live in. On the first day, we were able to pick out a hope and tie it on the display...
And this is what it eventually looked like, by day 3!
All
these were on Rampart Row. Moving on the Museum Gardens, where the children’s works
are placed, we found a lot more interesting displays. Let me begin with the one
I liked the most….
Van
Gogh, an
exploration, by Art for Akanksha…
Note
the details,
made with bangles, wool, buttons and paper!
Then, there were the other exhibits, all
equally interesting…. Rabindranath Tagore featured prominently….
Then, there
was Ustad Zakir Hussain…
S.H
Raza…
Picasso…
And Rousseau,
in a jungle!
Even
the other displays were very eye catching… I loved these Pop Cans!
And Sea Birds...
And
these, in the
gardens… painted tyres as swings…
Painted
boards as see saws…
And
even a fish
made of net and filled with plastic bottles!
Each
year, I realize
that the kids surprise me, and keep me riveted to the art, something which the
adults don’t seem to. I wonder why. Is it that innocence and creativity that
the kids have, and adults seem to be losing? Whatever the reason, I feel that
its high time the kids are encouraged more, and more schools are encouraged to
participate.
This
is what makes me return to Kala Ghoda, year after year, in spite of the crowds, and
in spite of the distance, and all such factors. Even Samhith, who is least
interested in art, enjoys this yearly trip, braving the crowds and giving up
his playtime. We look forward to see where KGAF goes from here, and to years
more of great art!
Thanks for this, Anu! Makes me so nostalgic! The installations seem particularly colorful this time; or is the camera-eye?
ReplyDeleteKGAF has lost its charm. Hence, I decided to skip it. But I'm glad I could be a part of it through your pictures!
ReplyDelete