Art finds a home beyond gallery walls
Chitrakala Parishath
Indian Institute of World Culture
Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts
A group of five artists have joined hands to promote art amongst the people who visit Lakshmi Kantha Park at Padmanabhanagar in South Bengaluru. The group has been organising the art show at the park during weekends, and are happy with the response from those who visit the park in the morning and evening for a walk.Raksha, a visual artist and graduate of, said that she recently began exhibiting her works at local parks to observe public engagement and reactions. 'It was a success. Later, I decided to call more artists to join me to exhibit their works. The goal of this is to make art accessible to more people,'' she said. Raksha shared that earlier she exhibited her artworks in galleries, but primarily those familiar with art and already interested in it visited. 'I wanted the general public to be aware or know more about art and make art accessible to them,'' she said.Akhila H, an artist from Padmanabhanagar, expressed that she was delighted with the experience of the art show. 'Many of the visitors have evinced interest to know about Mandala art. It is my fourth art show. I put up a stall during Chitra Santhe. I have also exhibited my art works at(IIWC), and,'' said Akhila.Sinchan Paul, who specialises in intricate versions of Kalamkari art, said that the art show provided a platform for exposure to different kinds of artwork. 'A few senior citizens came along with their grand-children who were enthusiastic to know about Kalamkari art,'' said Paul. Appreciating the artists for organising the art show, Captain Ramesh Nanjundaiah, a resident of the area, said that he wants the artists to organise more art shows for the benefit of people who visit the park. 'I am very happy to see different types of art works. It is a visual treat,'' he said.Expressing a similar opinion, Sreelatha Ramesh, another resident, highlighted that the art show allowed visitors to know about various unique art styles.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- The Hindu
The return of ‘Yayati': Theatre Nisha revisits Girish Karnad's play
When V Balakrishnan of Theatre Nisha first staged Yayati in 2012, Girish Karnad was still alive, and the production travelled across multiple cities. Over a decade later, Balakrishnan, who also plays the titular role, brings the play back to life with renewed purpose, this time as both an homage to the playwright (his birth anniversary is on May 19) and a reflection on human desire, responsibility, and sacrifice. Written when Karnad was just 22, Yayati is a profound retelling of a moment from the Mahabharata, centred on a king cursed with premature old age. Redemption is possible only if someone else willingly takes on his curse and it is his son, Puru, who steps forward. While the story originates from ancient epic, Karnad's treatment transforms it into a powerful study of personal crisis, familial dynamics, and moral reckoning. Balakrishnan is struck by Karnad's subtle deviations from the original text. 'In the Mahabharata, Yayati demands that his sons give up their youth for him. Here, he doesn't ask. Puru offers his youth because he has a point to prove. He believes he is just as much a warrior, not the weakling others think him to be,' he explains. For the director, it is these nuances — psychological, emotional, and symbolic — that make the play rewarding. 'Yayati does not clamour to be with women,' he says, 'Instead, he wants to reclaim his youth to do his duty by his people. That shift gives the story a new moral complexity.' Having directed several of Karnad's other works, including Bali: The Sacrifice, Naga-Mandala, and The Fire and the Rain, Balakrishnan sees Yayati as unique for its intimacy. 'It's deeply embedded in the personal. It deals with jealousy, desire, and complicated relationships in a very internalised way,' he says. That depth is what excites him about revisiting the play. A significant feature of this production is its casting. With a predominantly female cast — KS Neeharika plays Puru, a male character — the production subverts traditional gender expectations. But for Theatre Nisha, such casting is routine rather than radical. 'We don't see gender as an impediment,' Balakrishnan says, 'We've had more women than men in many productions. If you're good at acting, you can play any role.' This approach is a gentle counter to historical norms in Indian theatre where men once played women's roles. True to Theatre Nisha's minimalist aesthetic, the staging remains neutral. Set in pre-Vedic times (around 12,000 years ago, according to the director) the production avoids over-dramatic visual cues. 'We have no visual records from that period,' Balakrishnan says. 'So the costumes are lightly embellished, just enough to suggest status, never to overwhelm the performance. The actor should stand supreme. Everything else must support, not distract.' While many directors seek to interpret or contemporise mythological tales, Balakrishnan resists the urge. 'I prefer to stay true to the playwright's words,' he says. 'The only change I made was to remove the Sutradhara's prologue and epilogue, which I felt were meant for audiences less familiar with the Mahabharata. Otherwise, I've kept everything as written. Let the audience interpret the play; it's not my job to impose that.' This revival is also deeply personal. Balakrishnan considers the performance a tribute to the Karnad's enduring legacy. 'Just think — how did a 23-year-old write this play?' he marvels. 'It's so steeped in psychology. The idea of the father demanding the son's sacrifice, the Rakshasa woman who looked no different from an Arya woman — these are layered, radical ideas.' As the play travels from its recent Chennai run to Bengaluru, Balakrishnan is eager to see how new audiences respond. 'The audience has changed dramatically over the years,' he says. 'I hope this production lingers in their minds for months. That's the power of good theatre; it doesn't end with the applause.' Yayati will be staged at Ranga Shankara on May 21 and 22. Tickets are available at ₹400 via BookMyShow.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Time of India
Krishna district administration gears up for 4-day Masula Beach Fest
Vijayawada: The Krishna district administration is gearing up for the four-day Masula Beach Festival , scheduled for the first week of June at Manginapudi Beach in Wednesday, excise minister and Machilipatnam legislator Kollu Ravindra inspected the ongoing arrangements for the beach festival at Manginapudi Beach and directed the concerned officials to expedite the work and complete it within the deadline. The minister reviewed the entry arches and other decorations being prepared by art director Ramana the occasion, Ravindra suggested that the officials widen the main beach road, develop a junction, and construct a road from the junction to the on the occasion, Ravindra said that the government is making elaborate arrangements for the grand conduct of the Manginapudi Beach Festival. He mentioned that art director Ramana Vanka has been roped in to design replicas of Amaravati and the Assembly Tower as entry arches, which will be erected at the festival minister noted that the beach festival, which reflects the celebration of local traditions and culture, will also showcase glimpses of various regional specialties such as Kalamkari art, Bandar Laddu, Halwa, and more. He added that Beach Kabaddi and Kayaking competitions will be held, with about 2,000 players expected to participate from various parts of the adventure activities such as paragliding, helicopter rides, water scooters, water gliding, scuba diving, and speed boat rides will be offered to visitors as part of the minister further stated that proposals worth Rs 100 to Rs 150 crore have been submitted to the Centre under the Swadesh Darshan scheme and are expected to be sanctioned soon. Following the release of funds, there are plans to initiate the construction of resorts and hotels costing between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000 crore near Manginapudi Beach.
Hans India
06-05-2025
- Hans India
Lakshmi Manchu: For me, saree is the most feminine garment
Actress Lakshmi Manchu has professed her love for sarees, saying that, for her, it is the most beautiful and feminine garment. Lakshmi hosted a special event celebrating the timeless beauty of Kanchipuram and Kota sarees, paying tribute to India's rich textile heritage. The handwoven masterpieces showcased the intricate craftsmanship of local weavers. As a passionate advocate for the 'Make in India' initiative, Lakshmi said: 'In Mumbai, even the so-called real zari isn't real. I spent time sourcing authentic zari from master artisans, curating sarees that tell real stories. I even hand drew Kalamkari designs that the weavers themselves said they'd never seen before.' Lakshmi emphasized that these sarees are among the most beautiful and feminine pieces and talked about the importance of embracing Indian traditions and culture through textiles. 'I'm the kind of person who walks into coffee shops in Mumbai draped in a saree, because, to me, it's the most beautiful, the most feminine garment. I believe it's time we truly embrace our traditions and culture, especially through a fabric the world already looks up to,' she added. Lakshmi is the daughter of senior actor Mohan Babu. She made her acting debut with the American television series Las Vegas, where she played the love interest of James Lesure. She then appeared in one episode of each of the following series: Desperate Housewives, Late Nights with my Lover, and Mystery ER. In 2006, she directed, produced, and acted in Perfect Lives, a short film that was showcased at the Wilshire Fine Arts Theater as part of the La Femme Film Festival in Los Angeles. She made her theatre debut as Miss Trunchbull in the adaptation of Roald Dahl's Matilda, directed by Taher Ali Baig, in 2016. The actress was last seen on screen in the 2022 film 'Monster', an action thriller directed by Vysakh. The film stars Mohanlal with Lakshmi Manchu, Honey Rose, Siddique, Sudev Nair, K B Ganesh Kumar, Lena, Johny Antony and Jagapathi Babu.
