Saloni’s literal and metaphorical journey into the world of art fairs and biennales since she was twenty-three years of age became consequential in building a foundational collection of artworks that we have with us today…reports Asian Lite News
Celebrating more than twenty years of impassioned art collecting, The Right To Look introduces to the public for the first time the photographic collection of the Mumbai-based art patron, Saloni Doshi.
Borrowing from the notable visual theorist Nicholas Mirzoeff, the exhibition mediates on profound currents that define Saloni’s carefully considered collection – a collection rooted in history and informed by the present that is audacious in challenging our right to look. Images that touch upon the experiences of humanity, pricking us with questions like, ‘Who gets to look at the camera?’; ‘What does the viewer see?’; and perhaps most importantly, ‘What do the photographs show, and what do they hide?’, is a testament to her keen eye, a lifelong enthusiasm for engaging with photography, and the narration of the story of India through her collection.
Saloni’s literal and metaphorical journey into the world of art fairs and biennales since she was twenty-three years of age became consequential in building a foundational collection of artworks that we have with us today. ‘It wasn’t always easy – in fact, it could get painfully long and lonely at times, but I have always loved photography. It is what I understood the best, and, studying under Jeroo Mulla at Sophia College, it has always been close to my heart. Being formally trained allowed me to appreciate the frame and composition of a photograph,’ says Saloni. ‘It is also a question about identity. As a patron and founder of a residency, being a “collector” was never a category of profession, but something that I wanted to love and be instinctively. It became a journey to see what others saw, what they loved, and ever since then I have always wanted to engage with that.’
This exhibition, with its conceptual stress on the figurative presence in photography, highlights particularly poignant photographic works, including Pushpamala N’s The Arrival Of Vasco Da Gama (2014), Umrao Singh Sher-Gil’s Amrita with models for young girls (1932), Nikhil Chopra’s Yog Raj Chitrakar series (2008), Jyoti Bhatt’s Mandana (2007), Sohrab Hura’s Life is Elsewhere F (2005), Gauri Gill’s Boy Bathing in Taalab (2012), among others.
On view shall be works by several of India’s most recognised photographers: Akshay Mahajan, Anay Mann, Gauri Gill, Jyoti Bhatt, Madhu Das, Madiha Aijaz, Mansi Bhatt, Max Pinckers & Quinten De Bryun, Nikhil Chopra, Priyank Gothwal, Pushpamala N, Remen Chopra, Shilpa Gupta, Shivanjani Lal, Shreyas Karle, Sohrab Hura, Surekha, Tejal Shah, Umrao Singh Sher-Gil, Vivan Sundaram, and Vivek Vilasini. The collection, which focuses on well-known and emerging names in the Indian contemporary space, speaks of Saloni’s long-term commitment to supporting the arts as well as introducing, assisting, and advising other young and future collectors.
The Right To Look, curated by Amit Kumar Jain shall be on view at Space118 from 16 November till 30 December 2023, from 11 AM to 5 PM, including Sundays.
This was a necessary book for me to write: a way to take charge of what happened, and to answer violence with art,” the author says…reports Asian Lite News
Internationally renowned author and Booker Prize-winner Salman Rushdie’s new memoir, ‘KNIFE: Meditations After an Attempted Murder’, a gripping account of surviving an attempt on his life 30 years after the fatwa was ordered against him, will be published by Penguin Random House in more than 15 territories on April 16, 2024.
Speaking out for the first time about the traumatic events of August 12, 2022, ‘Knife’ is a powerful, deeply personal and ultimately uplifting meditation on life, loss, love, the power of art, finding the strength to keep going—and to stand up again.
“This was a necessary book for me to write: a way to take charge of what happened, and to answer violence with art,” the author says.
“It is a searing book, and a reminder of the power of words to make sense of the unthinkable. We are honoured to publish it, and amazed at Salman’s determination to tell his story, and to return to the work he loves,’ says Nihar Malaviya, CEO of Penguin Random House.
Rushdie has been translated into over forty languages, his sixteen works of fiction include Midnight’s Children—for which he won the Booker Prize in 1981, the Booker of Bookers on the 25th anniversary of the prize and Best of the Booker on the 40th anniversary— ‘Shame’, ‘The Ground Beneath Her Feet’, ‘The Satanic Verses’, ‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories’ and ‘Quichotte’ (shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2019). In June 2007, he received Knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and joined the prestigious Companions of Honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in her Platinum Jubilee year. His new novel, ‘Victory City’—a tale for our times, styled as an ancient epic and a testament to the power of storytelling—was published globally in February this year to major critical acclaim.
In this solo show Fatima Ronquillo unveiled new works. It was the return of the immensely talented and coveted artist, Fatima Ronquillo, with her latest masterpiece: “Amore: An Ode to Love”. An exclusive feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
In this eagerly awaited showcase, Ronquillo unveiled a stunning collection of five brand-new works, each a testament to her mastery of classical inspiration, enchanting pictorial imagery, and the fusion of rich cultural traditions.
Her extraordinary paintings executed with her sublime technique, transport us to a realm of serenity and charm, where mysteries unfold, personages come to life, and pastoral landscapes provide a backdrop for the drama and playfulness that lie beneath the surface.
At the heart of this collection is the theme of love—its pleasures and its pain. Drawing inspiration from timeless poetry by the likes of Shakespeare, Spenser, Hafez, and Oscar Wilde, Ronquillo delves deep into the complex tapestry of human emotion.
This new series of masterpieces takes us on a journey through the intricacies of love, offering a visual feast that resonates with the echoes of art history, nostalgia, and characters drawn from literature, theater, and opera.
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 40: “Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all” serves as a muse, weaving a narrative of love’s all-encompassing nature, where every facet of the heart is laid bare. Ronquillo’s brushwork captures the depth and complexity of love, from its sweetest moments to its most profound sorrows.
Edmund Spenser’s “Amoretti: My love is like to ice, and I to fire” ignites the canvas with passion and intensity. Through Ronquillo’s expert technique, we witness the juxtaposition of two opposing forces—the coldness of ice and the fervent blaze of love—as they dance together in a mesmerizing visual ballet.
“The Nightingale and the Rose” by Hafez and Oscar Wilde resonates with Ronquillo’s exploration of love’s sacrifices and the pursuit of its elusive beauty. Her paintings pay homage to these poetic narratives, infusing them with her unique magical realism and a touch of colonial Latin American traditions.
In Ronquillo’s hands, the canvas becomes a portal to a world where love transcends time and culture, where emotions are both universal and deeply personal. Her works beckon us to contemplate the eternal themes of love, longing, and desire, inviting us to connect with the characters and stories she brings to life.
“Amore: An Ode to Love” is a testament to the artist’s unerring commitment to the art of meaning and sentiments, her ability to conjure beauty from the depths of her soul, and her unique gift for melding classical European influences with the most contemporary feelings.
This exhibition is an unforgettable journey through the complexities of the heart, a symphony of color and emotion that leaves the audience profoundly moved and inspired.
About Fatima Ronquillo:
Born in San Fernando, Philippines in 1976, Fatima Ronquillo emigrated as a child to the United States in 1987 where her family settled in San Antonio, Texas. She currently resides and maintains a studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work is included in prestigious private collections throughout North America and Europe.
Fatima Ronquillo is a self-taught painter whose classically inspired imagery evokes a world of serenity and charm. Her paintings of mysterious personages, often set against pastoral and idyllic landscapes, are accented with an underlying sense of drama and playfulness. These intimate works are painted in the style of European old masters coupled with a magical realism rooted in folk and colonial Latin American traditions.
In her paintings, we find numerous references and a strong connection with European paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries. The poses of the depicted characters, their gazes, the natural ele- ments and landscapes, as well as the colors: all these elements transport us back centuries. The poses of the depicted characters, their gazes, the natural elements and landscapes, as well as the colors: all these elements transport us back centuries.
Infused with romanticism, Ronquillo’s paintings encapsulate a mysterious story told through symbols and metaphors. The beauty, as well as the fragility of both man and nature, are painted with great mastery and lyrical grace, just as much as love, which in Ronquillo’s portrayal is not a perfect love: it is romantic, yet also nostalgic, and can be a source of sadness and suffering. His is a true, real love, composed of both light and shadow.
Through the lens of magical realism, the artist illuminates an “other reality” that is a synthesis between the everyday of the real world and the magical dimension of dreams and visionary minds. Hers is an authentic voice that echoes from an inner world where art history meets with nostalgia and imagined characters from literature, theater, and opera.
About Dorothy Circus Gallery:
Dorothy Circus Gallery is a space dedicated to the figurative avant-gardes in contemporary art. The gallery brings together international established and up and coming artists from the worlds of Painting, Sculpture, Photography and Street Art, selected for their compelling visual languages and intriguing correlation to Pop iconography, New Surrealism and Magic Realism.
A vision for a new way of living for women who are ready to kiss themselves awake. Rewrite your Fairy tale and create your own happily ever after. A feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International
In The Queendom Within, Heidi Hauer lays out a practical and explorative plan for women to reclaim their energy, rediscover who they are, decide what they want and take tangible steps towards it – with or without a romantic partner by their side.
It’s for women who despite their own successes, confidence and fulfilment in many parts of their life, can’t quite shake the idea that their ‘real life’ won’t truly begin until a loving parnter arrives.
“At some point I realised that my life was massively off track from what I had dreamed of. I had ticked off many goals but was still on auto-pilot, waiting for someone to kiss me awake. I needed a Plan B. I had to take matters into my own hands. It was time to become my own saviour, and create the life I was waiting to build with ‘him’. In short, I had to let go of the fantasy of being whisked away to a magical Kingdom and instead start proactively building something more authentic – my Queendom from within.”Heidi said.
The Queendom Within is as much a guided program, as it is a memoir and companion for all women who have ever felt that they or their life is not enough without a partner by their side.
Its 28 practical exercises are conveniently split into four key chapters, designed to support you to reconnect with yourself – and have plenty of fun while doing so!
We all have moments in life that feel like a crossroads. You may have that sinking feeling that you’re in the wrong life – whether you feel trapped in a bad relationship, friendship or in a dead-end job – and secretly you hope for Mr Right to come along and sort everything out. This book will help you find your way back to your truest self.
Part 1
Rediscover and define in detail who you are and what you REALLY want
Part 2
Practice authentic living and feeling good within your skin. You’ll take the awareness gained in Part I and channel it into inspired action.
Part 3
Understand how your relationships and environments are influencing you, and where you can better put your true self out into the world.
Part 4
Connect with your boundaries as a tool for expressing and protecting your authentic truth. Prepare to put people-pleasing firmly to rest!
Meet the Author
Heidi Hauer is a Leadership & Holistic Health Coach for women who are ready to bring health and happiness on the road to professional success. Qualifications in nutrition and coaching complement her background in corporate leadership.
Heidi guides her clients to step into their power, find that highly sought-after work/life balance and reach for deeper levels of personal fulfilment – in and outside of work. The Queendom Within is her first book.
Femme Coutureshowcases celebrating and inspired by womenwill be one to watch out with names such as One Infinite Presents Faabiiana, Vvani by Vani Vats, Bhumika Sharma. Mahima Mahajan, Kalki and more will be see presenting mesmerizing collections…writes Tanya Banon
The autumn fashion calendar is on in full swing, and the Lakmē Fashion Week X FDCI kicked off with the opening show – Lakmē Glitterati X Raw Mango in New Delhi on 10th October 2023. The show was the launch of Lakmē’s all new Glitterati Collection and the return of Sanjay Garg’s Raw Mango on the runway.
Here’s are some of the key highlights from the season to give you an idea of what’s on show at the event.
Lakmé Glitterati – Inspired by the brand’s new collection, the theme – ‘Glitterati’, is equal parts reminder and invitation to let a touch of sparkle do the talking this Winter-Festive season. In a first, the ongoing edition will see Lakmé unveil a series of makeup and skin trends. The first of the two Lakmé showcases for the season was the Lakmé Glitterati show which took place on 10th October and the second event will culminate with the House of Lakmé Grand Finale on 15th October, marking the homecoming of an Indian designer, whose work over the years has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries. The designers will be announced subsequently.
Marquee Collaborative Showcases: Brands across the spectrum will be seen coming together with leading designers and present a seamless blend in the fashion space with a lineup that includesBirkenstock presents Grounded in Nature by Shivan and Narresh, NEXA presents Amit Aggarwal, Kohler presents Tarun Tahiliani, R|Elan ™ presents Varun Bahl, TRESemme respents Falguni Shane Peacock, Titan Raga presents Pankaj & Nidhi, Caprese Presents Gauri Nainika.
Sustainability takes a front row seat on Day 2 at LFW X FDCI: Reputed for driving important conversation around sustainable fashion in India, Sustainable Fashion Day will host a range of showcases such as 11:11, Payal Pratap, Reliance Brand Presents Abraham & Thakore while culminating for the day with the coveted R|Elan ™ presents Circular Design Challenge in partnership with United Nations in India that will witness finalists from across the globe compete for the title
If textiles could tell a story: from the Atelier opening by Samant Chauhan’s Ice Watch collection featuring Bhagalpuri Silks to 11:11’s Hand Spun to Not So Serious By Pallavi Mohan’s collection that reflects her journey starting out as textile designer Varun Bahls choice of R|Elan™ fabrics, there is a fresh take by designers on playing with textiles and creating fabrics that allow minimum waste
Nurturing new and emerging talent: with talent discovery initiatives and showcases planned spanning through the 5 days of fashion including INIFD presents GenNext, NEXA presents The Spotlight, INIFD Launchpad and FDCI X Pearl Academy First Cut will give a national platform to young design talent across India
Femme Couture: showcases celebrating and inspired by womenwill be one to watch out with names such as One Infinite Presents Faabiiana, Vvani by Vani Vats, Bhumika Sharma. Mahima Mahajan, Kalki and more will be see presenting mesmerizing collections
A few showcases to watch out for, amongst many others (refer schedule): FDCI Fashion Wears Art, FDCI Showcase Pero, Ka:Sha, Verandah, Kaveri, Geisha Designs, Da Belle, 431-88, Guapa, Ashish N Soni, NoughtOne, Aseem Kapoor, Tasva, Park Avenue and more
The festival continues to maintain its hallmarks of inclusivity, diversity, and innovation encompassing nationalities, genders, geographies, communities, and languages…reports Asian Lite News
The 14th edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest is around the corner! With committed audiences both online and on the ground, the festival will run its online edition from 25th to 26th October with leading international authors such as Salman Rushdie and Elif Shafak.
The on-ground festival will commence on the 27th till 29th of October at the NCPA, Nariman Point, and St Pauls Institute of Communication Education and Title Waves bookstore in Bandra.
The festival continues to maintain its hallmarks of inclusivity, diversity, and innovation encompassing nationalities, genders, geographies, communities, and languages.
Co-Director of the LitFest Amy Fernandes said, “We are delighted to present the 14th edition of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest, and so proud that it has become an integral part of Mumbai’s life. This year we have, as always, a blend of established stars and fresh faces, concurrent themes and traditional motifs, and sessions ranging from serious cogitation to dashes of sparkle!
Celebrated thought leaders, wordsmiths, and storytellers from India and 15 other countries, will explore issues at the heart of fiction, poetry, mathematics, economics, communications, business, sport, health, history, art, society, nature, food, with fresh and unique perspectives that characterize the Litfest.
Participants will include Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Anuja Chauhan, Arjun Raj Gaind, Gulzar, Gurcharan Das, Faye D’Souza, Jerry Pinto, Kunal Vijayakar, Luke Coutinho, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Manoranjan Byapari, Marcus du Sautoy, Meeran Chadha Borwankar, Mehdi Hassan, Michel Bussi, Prahlad Kakar, Peter Frankopan, Rajdeep Sardesai, Ranjit Hoskote, Sam Miller, Shanta Gokhale, Shashi Tharoor, Shobhaa De, Sudha Murty, Tenzin Tsundue, Vivek Shanbhag, Zac O’ Yeah, Zai Whitaker among others.
The Festival highlights will never fade: the prestigious Poet Laureate, Lifetime Achievement, and Literary Awards; the packed-hall Great Debate; an introduction to a language other than English (Kannada this year); 14 book launches; gripping indoor and outdoor stage performances; the fully subscribed workshops and the popular Book Swap. The Binod Kanoria Awards for Children’s Literature and The Rotary Writing For Peace Award, introduced last year under the aegis of the Festival, will also be presented.
Each year the festival aims to bring new experiences to its visitors. This year, in conjunction with the Goethe Institute, the festival is bringing The Infinite Library- a travelling installation that uses VR and other media to reimagine the future of libraries as interactive spaces that engage visitors through multisensory forms of storytelling. There will also be a brand new Spoken Word performance and an outdoor performance from the UK that merges pottery and dance.
“Due to the circumstances of the past few years we have acquired a vast global digital audience, so online programming is also now a permanent strand of our festival. We look forward to engaging with our loyal audiences both virtual and on the ground for an invigorating five days, celebrating The Power Of Words, which resonates through all our Festival activities,” adds Quasar Thakore Padamsee, Co-Director of the Litfest.
With its meteoric rise to bestseller status, Masala Lab has captivated readers across generations, and now returns as an irresistible collector’s edition, adorned with ingenious additions, illustrations, infographics, and charts: it’s the collector’s edition you know your kitchen-laboratory needs…reports Asian Lite News
Reading should be practiced throughout one’s life. Good literature may teach you, illuminate you, and guide you. Learn about the most recent Penguin Random House’s publications, as well as the highlights from September to November 2023. PAIN by Shweta Singh Kirti No human is unacquainted with the concept of pain. It is an inescapable universal experience. Shweta Kirti’s pain has been, unfortunately, very public because of the death of her thirty-four-year-old brother, the Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. What she learned, however, is that while pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. It is pain that can teach us how to rise above suffering and the limits we create for ourselves with our attachment to material goals like money, fame, success, and relationships. In this book, Shweta shares her learnings so that no one is alone on this hard but necessary odyssey. Synthesizing science, spirituality, and philosophy, Pain: A Portal to Enlightenment is an invitation to embark on a transformative journey to find inner peace and fulfillment no matter what life throws at you. Another Sort of Freedom by Gurcharan Das
It is a funny, moving, and honest memoir of a man’s struggle to break free from expectations. Gurcharan Das was born in Lyallpur, Punjab, during World War II, when Hitler, Churchill, and Hirohito were bashing everyone around. His mother noted in her diary, ‘This is a restless baby.’ By age two he had become ‘a difficult child’, and by three she was calling him a ‘troublemaker’. He discovered one day that he could run, and he has been running ever since.
Candid, witty, and wry, the memoir is filled with moments of deep introspection at every turn alongside wise observations on the author’s encounters with history on four continents. This is Gurcharan Das as you have never seen him before.
Muslim Politics in India by Hamid Dalwai
Hamid Dalwai has been called a Muslim modernizer who relentlessly worked towards promoting reason and justice among Muslims. Historian Ram Guha writes, ‘[He] worked tirelessly to get Muslims to shed their social and religious prejudices. The pursuit of gender equality was of pre-eminent importance to him, and he waged a long battle against triple talaq.’
Dalwai’s Muslim Politics in India is arguably the most perceptive analysis of Muslim politics to appear in post-independence India. It retains the same freshness and relevance that it had when it was first published some three decades back. First published in 1968, an enlarged edition was later published under the title Muslim Politics in Secular India by Hind Pocket Books, Delhi, in 1972.
This translation, the first of its kind, is a product of numerous meetings that Hamid Dalwai had with noted poet Dilip Chitre, during which the latter made extensive notes and rendered them into articles in English. It combines his most evocative and fiery essays and emerges as a fine voice of reason relevant to our contemporary times.
The Perfect 10 by Yasmin Karachiwala
The brains behind the beauty of some of India’s biggest celebrities, Bollywood’s fitness instructor extraordinaire, Yasmin Karachiwala is all set to launch her upcoming release, PERFECT 10: 10-Minute Workouts You Can Do Anywhere. Yasmin is widely credited with bringing Pilates to India. Her list of certifications includes BASI (Body Arts and Science International) Certified Pilates Instructor, Balanced Body Comprehensive Master Instructor, and Balanced Body MOTR Master Instructor, among others. Her multidisciplinary approach to fitness includes weight training, HIIT, cardio, functional training, Pilates, and more, and can be accessed at the Yasmin Karachiwala Body Image (YKBI) chain of studios located both in India and internationally.
The Illustrated Masala Lab: Beautiful New Edition of the Bestselling Book on the Science of Indian Cooking by Krish Ashok
With its meteoric rise to bestseller status, Masala Lab has captivated readers across generations, and now returns as an irresistible collector’s edition, adorned with ingenious additions, illustrations, infographics, and charts: it’s the collector’s edition you know your kitchen-laboratory needs. Ever wondered why your grandmother threw a teabag into the pressure cooker while boiling chickpeas, or why she measured using the knuckle of her index finger? Why does a counterintuitive pinch of salt make your kheer more intensely flavourful? What is the Maillard reaction, and what does it have to do with fenugreek? What does your high-school chemistry knowledge, or what you remember of it, have to do with perfectly browning your onions? In this special edition, Meghna Menon’s vibrant illustrations effortlessly complement Krish Ashok’s light-hearted approach to the demystification of culinary science, making it the perfect vehicle to absorb the exhaustive testing, groundbreaking research, and scientific rigor that went into the making of this revolutionary book.
The Art of Habits by Gauranga Das
As the final book in the three-volume series (after The Art of Resilience and The Art of Focus), The Art of Habits presents forty simple stories filled with deep revelations. What will enthrall the readers is the engaging narration, the dynamics of the situations that manifest, and the deep learnings from such episodes. While The Art of Resilience presented ingredients for the reader to inculcate resilience in challenging situations manifested at the beginning of the pandemic, The Art of Focus inspired the resilient heart to develop a focused mind during the multiple COVID waves. Now, The Art of Habits provides ideas for the focused reader to cultivate conducive and sustainable habits to adapt to the paradigm shift created by the pandemic, instilling in the reader a resolute mindset to handle multiple such unexpected transformative events in the future.
Memoirs of Valmiki Rao by Lindsay Pereira
A second novel from Lindsay Pereira, whose debut novel Gods and Ends was critically acclaimed and shortlisted for the JCB Prize for Literature and the Tata Lit Live award.
Set in Parel, THE MEMOIRS OF VALMIKI RAO is a contemporary retelling of the Ramayana, set against a Mumbai burning post the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Lindsay continues to write the Bombay novel and gives a view of the decrepit lives of those in suburban Mumbai.
This story may end with sadness, but the author wants you to remember that it started with love. This is the story of Rameshwar Shinde and Ravinarayan Kumar, a young woman called Janaki, and the neighbours they live with, in the shadows of towers. It is a story of families torn apart by bigotry, an unmissable retelling of the epic Ramayana set at a time when blood mixed with the grime of Mumbai’s streets. A tale more pertinent than ever, in a country once again teetering on the edge.
Restless Lives by Harish Bhat
The modern age is characterized by speed, impersonality, and absurdity. It is easy to get caught up in the rush and forget the small, everyday things that string together to build the everyday.
Restless Lives offers an oasis of quiet contemplation. In this beautiful poetry collection, author Harish Bhat contemplates various aspects that make up daily life. At times pleasing, at others disturbing, the lines within these pages promise to give pause, inspire, and stir emotion. This is Harish Bhat as you have never seen him before.
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan returns to Sadler’s Wells Theatre this autumn with the UK premiere of Lunar Halo, a collaboration with Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós, choreographed by the company’s Artistic Director Cheng Tsung-lung. The company, founded in 1973, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and these are the first UK performances since 13 Tongues/Dust in 2020. Preview Feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
Cheng took over from company founder Lin Hwai-Min in 2020, and this is the 2nd time he has toured the company to Sadler’s Wells. As a child, he sold slippers on the streets of Taipei. His experiences of street life and folk and religious cultures have shaped his choreographic style, known for its vivid engagement with the richness and diversity of human experience.
Cheng first observed a lunar halo – a sparkling ring around the moon – in the sky over Iceland. The phenomenon is said to predict an impending storm and, on a deeper level, forebodes a time of considerable change.
In Lunar Halo, Cheng explores the changes that are shaping the world, in particular our reliance on new technology. Performing to an other-worldly soundtrack by Sigur Rós, the dancers interact with each other – in pairs, groups, or as an ensemble in front of huge LED screens filled with moving shapes, colours, and images. The soundscape includes music taken from the band’s back catalogue, which has been twisted, bent, broken, and added to, specially for this performance. Sigur Rós released an LP to accompany the performance called 22° Lunar Halo.
Visual design and direction is by Jam Wu, lighting design is by Shen Po-hung, video design is by Ethan Wang, and costume design is by Chen Shao-yen.
A post-rock titan, Sigur Rós has been renowned for crafting ethereal soundscapes with melodic, classical, experimental, and minimalist elements and has received many accolades since its debut in 1994. Released in 1998, the band’s second album, ‘Ágætis Byrjun’ is still deemed “the last great album of the 20th Century.” by Q Magazine. They are well known for the iconic song ‘Hoppípolla’ (‘Jumping into Puddles’) which featured in the BBC’s Planet Earth and Planet Earth Two.
Cloud Gate Artistic Director Cheng Tsung-lung said, “Sadler’s Wells stage has a magical power that has always drawn me into the world of dance. Following the pandemic, I’m really looking forward to visiting London in our 50th anniversary year, and I hope that Lunar Halo shows the audience a different side to Cloud Gate.”
This year’s literature laureate Jon Fosse writes novels heavily pared down to a style that has come to be known as ‘Fosse minimalism’, according to Nobel Prize Twitter…reports Asian Lite News
The Nobel Prize in Literature 2023 has been awarded to Norwegian author Jon Fosse “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”, the Royal Swedish Academy announced in Stockholm on Thursday.
The 64-year-old author and dramatist had according to the Academy produced works spanning a variety of genres including plays, novels, poetry collections, essays, children’s books and translations.
Fosse receives 11 million Swedish krona, about USD 991,000.
“I am overwhelmed and grateful,” he said in a news release issued by his Norwegian publisher after the accolade according to the New York Times.
“I see this as an award to the literature that first and foremost aims to be literature, without other considerations,” the US daily newspaper reported.
This year’s literature laureate Jon Fosse writes novels heavily pared down to a style that has come to be known as ‘Fosse minimalism’, according to Nobel Prize Twitter.
This can be seen in his second novel ‘Stengd gitar’ (1985), when Fosse presents us with a harrowing variation on one of his major themes, the critical moment of irresolution. A young mother leaves her flat to throw rubbish down the chute but locks herself out, with her baby still inside. Needing to go and seek help, she is unable to do so since she cannot abandon her child. While she finds herself, in Kafkaesque terms, ‘before the law’, the difference is clear: Fosse presents everyday situations that are instantly recognisable from our own lives, according to the Nobel Prize Twitter.
While he is today one of the most widely performed playwrights in the world, he has also become increasingly recognised for his prose, the Swedish Academy described the author born in 1959 in Haugesund in Norway’s west coast.
Fosse writes in Norwegian Nynorsk, one of the two official written standards of the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmal.
According to his publisher, since his 1983 fiction debut, Fosse has written prose, poetry, essays, short stories, children’s books, and over 40 plays, with more than a thousand productions performed and translations into 50 languages. Fosse, according to the official Twitter feed of The Nobel Prize has much in common with his great precursor in Norwegian Nynorsk literature Tarjei Vesaas.
The author, it said, combines strong local ties, both linguistic and geographic, with modernist artistic techniques. He includes in his Wahlverwandschaften such names as Samuel Beckett, Thomas Bernhard and Georg Trakl.
“While Fosse shares the negative outlook of his predecessors, his particular gnostic vision cannot be said to result in a nihilistic contempt of the world. Indeed, there is great warmth and humour in his work, and a naive vulnerability to his stark images of human experience,” it said. (ANI)
Designed for the youth, this segment will have accomplished speakers guiding young minds on how to engage with both the natural world and their inner selves…reports Asian Lite News
The 7th edition of the much-awaited Ooty Literary Festival (OotyLitFest 2023) is all set to return to the picturesque town of Ooty on 6-7 October 2023. This year, the grand edition will pay homage to Ooty’s bicentennial and celebrate its rich tapestry of literature, culture, history and heritage. Going beyond literary discussion, OotyLitFest 2023 will put the spotlight on ecological importance of the Nilgiri Biosphere and diverse communities, illuminating the city’s natural essence which makes it unique. The festival will host vital dialogues, intellectual discussions with celebrated authors, live interactions, exhibitions, artistic presentations and a diverse range of Indian classical, blues, and jazz concerts, ensuring that the hills truly come alive.
Over the years, OotyLitFest has emerged as an important platform to present, preserve and promote Tamil Nadu’s literature. Continuing with its efforts in this direction, this year the festival will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Thiru. Perumal Murugan, one of Tamil Nadu’s foremost writers for his unwavering dedication to promoting education and fostering literary arts and culture in Tamil Nadu, even in the face of adversity.
This edition will also witness engaging dialogues, speeches and discussions from distinguished speakers including celebrated names like Aamir Khan, Apsara Reddy, Javed Akhtar, Jerry Pinto, Kalki Koechlin, Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan, Mansoor Khan, Sudha Murty and many more.
OotyLitFest 2023 will present an array of programs during the festival to be an all-encompassing cultural affair, extending its outreach to all communities with a particular emphasis on engaging students and youth. The programs include:
The World of Words at Nilgiri Library: A literary gathering featuring renowned authors, historians, film personalities, business and social leaders, and conservationists engaging in discussions, and storytelling, and deep doves into issues that ignite the mind.
Igniting Minds in The Courtyard: Designed for the youth, this segment will have accomplished speakers guiding young minds on how to engage with both the natural world and their inner selves.
Remembering & Reimagining Nilgiri’s Socio-Cultural History: An exhibition offering a visual journey through the evolving landscape of the Nilgiris over the past 200 years, curated by Jenny Pinto. Some of these have never been displayed together to unravel the stories of yore.
An Artist Re-creates The Magic of Ooty: Celebrated cartoonist Paul Fernandes will showcase his unique old illustrations that capture the spirit of Ooty at The Nilgiri Library.
Hills Come Alive with Music: Musical extravaganzas featuring leading musicians performing Blues, Sufi, and Jazz as the sun sets over the Nilgiri hills.
In addition to celebrating literature, history and heritage, the Festival is a call to action, a call to conserve, and a call to enrich cultural understanding. It is a way of honoring Ooty’s bicentennial while looking forward to a future that embraces diversity, ecological responsibility, and the power of literature.
