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Category: Arts & Culture

Post-war and contemporary art online

Post-War and Contemporary Art Online will present a strong selection of works by female contemporary names, artists from Africa and It’s diaspora, and a variety of works on paper by names such as Andy Warhol, Antoni Tapies, George Condo and Alexander Calder…reports Asian Lite News

This season, Christie’s will be offering a notable pieces at its Impressionist and Modern Art Day and Works on Paper Sale.

The live auction will feature ground-breaking Impressionists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Alfred Sisley, alongside Modern masters who defined the critical movements of the early 20th Century, from Gustav Klimt to Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Joan Miro.

A focal point is the monumentally-sized masterpiece by Ukrainian artist Sonia Delaunay, Marche au Minho, Portugal (estimate: 700,000-1,000,000 pound) from the important early series of brightly coloured Portuguese market scenes in oil and encaustic by which she explored colour theories during the development of Orphism. Marche au Minho relates to other significant examples by the same name housed in public collections such as the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. The world record for Sonia Delaunay is 4.1M Euros, achieved for a work of the same subject, by the same name.

Avant garde works from critical periods of the 20th Century.(Photo:IANSLIFE)

The theme of still life features strongly in the auction, embodied through the intensely meditative Natura morta by Giorgio Morandi (estimate: 600,000-800,000 pound) and Georges Braque’s sizeable, concentrated, composition Le moulin a cafe (estimate: 700,000-1,000,000 pound), both completed during early-1940s, as the Second World War raged in Europe.

An exceptional group of modern sculpture featuring the passionate expressionism of the dual-figure composition is also presented, including a rare lifetime cast of Camille Claudel’s L’Abandon (350,000-500,000 pound) which launched her career as a professional artist and Auguste Rodin’s L’Eternelle Idole, grand modele (estimate: 500,000-800,000 pound), one of the earliest bronze casts produced in the 1920s. An exceptional example of Rodin’s iconic vision of romantic love known as “The Kiss” cast between 1914-1918 completes the group with Baiser, 2eme reduction.

Further highlights this season include avant garde works from critical periods of the 20th Century by Laszlo Moholy Nagy and Lyonel Feininger; a strong representation of German Expressionists with important works by Max Pechstein, Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, Gabriele Munter, Alexej von Jawlensky and Otto Mueller; as well as notable works by Italian masters Gino Severini and Marino Marini.

From 23 February to 9 March, First Open: Post-War and Contemporary Art Online will present a strong selection of works by female contemporary names, artists from Africa and It’s diaspora, and a variety of works on paper by names such as Andy Warhol, Antoni Tapies, George Condo and Alexander Calder.

Works by Aubrey Levinthal and Molly Bounds will be offered for the first time at auction, alongside further prominent female artists Francesca Mollett, Deborah Segun, Jenna Gribbon, Sarah Ball and Caroline Walker. The sale will also feature a wonderful selection of works by contemporary African artists such as Aboudia’s Untitled (estimate: 30,000-50,000 pound), Wole Lagunju’s Urban Kings (estimate: 15,000-20,000 pound) and Adjey Tawiah’s Yellow Punk (estimate: 4,000-6,000 pound).

Avant garde works from critical periods of the 20th Century.(Photo:IANSLIFE)

Coinciding with his recent solo exhibition at the Courtauld, Peter Doig’s Study of an English Garden (1997, estimate: 50,000-70,000 pound) will lead the sale and is a superb example of the artist’s prevailing fascination with place and memory.

Furthermore, a painting by the late Barry Kamen will be presented for the first time at auction. Known as one of the iconic faces of the 1980s Buffalo fashion movement throughout his life, Kamen’s work as an artist remained in the shadow of his fame. This season, Christie’s will be offering a notable piece from the Is Is It series, sold to benefit the Barry Kamen Estate in their mission to archive and preserve his work and legacy.

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6 March 2023
Solo presentation dedicated to New York-based artist

In the 1960s, when Indian abstractionists were discovering this new genre, Natvar Bhavsar found himself amidst the colour-field artists in America, then at the height of their success…reports Asian Lite News

DAG will participate at the sixteenth edition of Art Dubai 2023 with Natvar Basvar: Cosmic Whispers, a solo presentation dedicated to New York-based artist and India’s major colour-field abstractionist Navtar Bhavsar, featuring works from 70s to 90s – the most decisive decades in the artist’s practice.

Among the most institutionally acquired artists with a six- decade career in New York and collected by institutions globally including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Guggenheim, National Gallery of Australia as well as corporates such as Goldman Sachs, American Express, Chase Manhattan, Union Bank of Switzerland, among others, Bhavsar’s extraordinary talent combines his arduous technique with textured, intensely coloured paintings using dry pigments to create truly unique works of art.

In the 1960s, when Indian abstractionists were discovering this new genre, Natvar Bhavsar found himself amidst the colour-field artists in America, then at the height of their success.

Among the likes of Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Clyfford Still, Piero Dorazio and others, Bhavsar soon created a distinctive identity for himself, bagging major exhibitions at leading galleries and museums for his large-format works and, established his practice in New York where he continues to live six decades after first arriving in the city.

The founding-farther of hand-sifting pure powder pigment onto canvas, Natvar’s meticulous attention to detail in working with colour pigments is being defined as an exquisite talent that to date is unmatched around the world.

What sets Bhavsar apart from his peers is a unique technique and way of using colours that lends depth to his abstract compositions. Using organic pigments and alkaloids, Bhavsar sieves dry colours through a variety of sieves and tools to build up layers of a dominant field colour surrounded by whispers of colour pigments that result in a constellation of tones and textures. These parallel universes exhort an exploration that connects his life in America with his memories of growing up in India, its culture and festivities, deep philosophies and celebration of nature.

“Natvar Bhavsar is a major artist globally and we at DAG are delighted to ensure that his legacy is shared worldwide through exhibitions such as ‘Cosmic Whispers’ at our booth at Art Dubai. We have played a complementary role since 2016 when we first included his works in our exhibitions, and our relationship has since grown from strength to strength. It is a privilege to work with an artist of his calibre and talent, and to see the great admiration he enjoys for his practice,” said Ashish Anand, CEO and MD at DAG.

Of his use of colours, Natvar Bhavsar has said, “Colours engage you fully, lead to freedom and create a sublime world that is deeply fulfilling.” In keeping with his roots, Bhavsar titles his paintings with words from diverse Indian languages as an ode to the land of his birth.

Beyond that, his art is truly global. Over the decades, there have been shifts and transitions in his visual vocabulary but he has remained consistent in the manner he manipulates colour to place it at the centre of his creative process. His art is as deliberate as it is detailed. No other artist has used colour as potently as Bhavsar who is as mindful of its presence as he is of its absence, making him one of the foremost players among the world’s leading colour-field artists and India’s greatest exponent of the possibilities offered by it.

Natvar Bhavsar is an abstractionist known for his colour field paintings, working on large canvases with pigments made of natural and organic materials. Born in an educator’s family on 7 April 1934 in a small town in Gujarat, he studied to be a drawing teacher and began his career in Chanasma. He then joined the C. N. School in Ahmedabad for its five-year diploma course in art offered by Sir J. J. School of Art; simultaneously, he continued to study for his master’s in teaching art.

As a twenty-seven-year-old, Bhavsar learnt about the possibilities of further education from a class fellow’s father and enrolled at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art to study industrial design, but once there, changed course to study painting at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University. Here, he met Janet Brosious, an artist and art educator; they would later marry in 1978.

In 1970, he had his first show at Max Hutchinson Gallery, New York. His paintings invariably have an Indian title, linking his works closely to the land of his birth and youth, and they often address subjects or myths familiar to those from India-whether in a literal or abstract sense. Bhavsar is at once a thoroughly American painter and product of Indian culture,’ Carter Ratcliff, art writer, said of him. Well established and widely appreciated, Bhavsar lives and works in New York.

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2 March 2023
Echoes of Tibetan freedom at Biennale

Tsundue was in the limelight in January 2002 when he displayed a banner with the words “Free Tibet: China, Get Out” and a Tibetan flag by climbing the scaffolding outside the hotel in Mumbai where People’s Republic of China Premier Zhu Rongji stayed…reports Asian Lite News

“Every evening I return to my rented room, but I am not going to die this way. That has got to be some way out here” read aloud poet-activist and Tibetan refugee Tenpin Tsundue from one of his poems.

Tsundue said this while taking part in ‘Let’s Talk’, an interactive poetry reading session organised by Kashi Townhouse, a Kochi-Muziris Biennale Invitations Programme.

The wandering poet who combines activism and academia to share his thoughts on exile, writing, resistance, culture, and identity, says independence is only a status that is different from freedom.

“In 70 years of Tibetan freedom struggle, we have realized that we need to think for the world, not just one country. When it comes to the Tibetan freedom movement, we know that it may take time but we are confident. Be it fifty or a hundred years, we will continue to fight. We also know that we are not going to lose anything anymore and we will return to Tibet, one day,” said Tsundue.

He went on to add that Tibetans keep their culture and identity alive from generation to generation through stories and art on Tibet.

“We sustain our life in the land we left behind through the elders’ tales. I lived in a refugee camp on the edges of the Sathyamangalam forest in Karnataka but our lives were filled with vivid images of snow mountains, apples, peaches, apricots, and a magical land named Tibet. This continues in our refugee camps even now. We may have been born a refugee but we are destined to be free,” he asserted.

Tibetan freedom also reverberates at Kochi Biennale.

Tsundue was in the limelight in January 2002 when he displayed a banner with the words “Free Tibet: China, Get Out” and a Tibetan flag by climbing the scaffolding outside the hotel in Mumbai where People’s Republic of China Premier Zhu Rongji stayed.

Of all the places he travelled, Tenzin finds peace in Kerala.

“Coming to Kerala is always a romantic trip for me. Here, I see people at ease in their own land and language. It relaxes me and gives me hope. As a refugee, my tribe is forced to learn multiple languages for survival and none could be called one’s own,” said the wandering poet.

Kashi Townhouse is currently showcasing a project by Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam in collaboration with Natasha Ginwala titled Shadow Circus: A Personal Archive of Tibetan Resistance (1957-1974).

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28 February 2023
A love letter to craft, an embrace of a bygone period

Anita Dongre’s recently released vegan accessories and jewellery are displayed on the ground level next to specially created wallpaper inspired by her embroidery designs…reports Asian Lite News

A cheerful yellow structure with gleaming teak balconies that reflect the sun’s light through a variety of stained-glass designs is located across the street from the Jehangir Art Gallery and the iconic David Sassoon library. The historic Sassoon Building now houses Anita Dongre’s newest flagship store — a love letter to craft, an embrace of a bygone period, and a celebration of old meeting new-after being transformed by the designer’s vision and a year of architectural attention.

Says Dongre, “Bombay is my home, and the Sassoon building has witnessed every change of this city. In restoring this building we wanted to keep as much of its original form as we could- stained glass windows, timber beams and staircase, the tiles… I wanted to bring back the luxury of the 19th century and have it meet the effortless grace of the 21st century. It’s been a particular joy to realise a vision that mixes Indian crafts with colonial architecture against art that celebrates nature’s bounty. I’m excited to watch people experience this space through all their senses — sight, smell, touch, and heart.”

A fashionable oasis of tranquility in Kalaghoda

Expect a sense of calm to overtake you as you open the ground level doors. Set foot on the distinctive black and white marble flooring designed by Anita Dongre, inhale the rose aroma, and gaze at the lush green and gold handpainted pichhwai walls that support 200-year-old exposed teak beams as you escape the busy Dalal Street. An “otla” — style open verandah with original cast iron railings and stained glass made in the same patterns the Sassoon building displayed in the 1800s peeks down at you from the level above. Rajasthani jharokhas surround this verandah.

Anita Dongre’s recently released vegan accessories and jewellery are displayed on the ground level next to specially created wallpaper inspired by her embroidery designs.

The Sassoon building originally had a plain ground floor and three upper levels that were reached by a beautiful timber stairway. After passing rich gold pichhwai nature scenes painted against an emerald green base, you will ascend to the first level on this lovely teak staircase that has recently been restored. Grassroot and the ready-to-wear line are located on this level, which also contains 200-year-old metal and timber frames and craft stories.

Menswear is displayed on the second level against hand-painted pichhwai walls in grey and gold. Behind a wall of lush verdant plants, light streams through the balcony doors. The balconies were only added, as can be seen in old photos of this structure, after the fort walls were taken down around 1865. The lavish wooden balcony structure is supported by cast iron columns with Corinthian caps, which are lined with glazed tiles. The wooden balconies were revived, stained glass was carefully recreated from old photographs, and original tiles were saved while new ones were made to match the pattern during the restoration of this level. Enjoy a priceless amenity here: a calm gallery to observe the passing of time. Take in the Rajabai clocktower and the many architectural wonders of Kalaghoda.

The feeling of luxury that this building’s high ceilings, wooden floors, and pools of light evoke is amplified by triptych mirrors. The third level, also known as the bridal floor, offers the ultimate indulgence. As you ascend the grand stairway, you can see the domed timber roof, which is now just out of your grasp. Richly embroidered lehengas in pools of theatrical light and a tikri wall that transports you into ballrooms and castles greet you when the doors open.

What women want. (Photo: anitadongre/Instagram)

Dongre’s newest flagship store in the heart of Mumbai’s art district – Kalaghoda is proof of how the forgotten can find a place in our modern world- whether craft, architecture, or a way of life. From hand-embroidered cushions and elephants embroidered on sheer curtains, to restored metal and woodwork, and tiles and stained glass that recreate the grandeur of “Bombay” before the fort walls went down, every inch of the 8500 square feet of Sassoon Building is given a new lease on life while celebrating the inherent and original elements of luxury. As you walk out of this experience, you’ll carry with you a feeling of tranquility and freedom.

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28 February 2023
Sanskruti’s SaptaTandava enraptures diverse audiences

The seven Tandavas of Lord Shiva were presented through a variety of dance forms

Sapta Tandava- a theme that remained unexplored in the dancing scene in Britain, was presented at The Bhavan recently.

Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence has pioneered another interesting subject- the seven Tandavas of Lord Shiva, which were presented through a variety of dance forms- Yakshagana, Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Mohiniattam, and Kuchipudi.

Amish Tripathi speaking at Sivoham event.

The event titled Sivoham was attended by 300+ audiences coming from different parts of England. Renowned Author Amish Tripathi, Minister (Culture & Education), and Director of Nehru Centre, London was the Chief Guest of the function where he befittingly gave the opening words on Shiva, his reverence and relevance.

He also commended the artists and the organisers for bringing out such a salient subject. Invocation to Shiva was rendered through classical and tribal dances by young and old alike, on Panchakshari stotra and rare folklore.

Sapta Tandavas were then beautifully presented by Shivani Bhandari, Arya Arun, Yogindra Maravante, Lakshmi Aveen, Ragasudha Vinjamuri, Manju Sunil, and Dr. Pritha Dasmahapatra, while the context of each Tandava was explained as a prelude.

Folklore Invocation to Lord Shiva

Centuries-old compositions of Shahuji Maharaj of Tanjavur,(Chhatarapati Shivaji’s grand nephew) Mahadeva Sambho of Andhra Pradesh, etc. in Sanskrit, Marathi, and Telugu were used for the depiction.

The concept is conceived and executed by Ragasudha Vinjamuri, who herself presented one of the Tandavas, Dr. Mattur Nandakumara, Executive Director of The Bhavan felicitated the artists. The vote of thanks was rendered by Sushil Rapatwar and the program was anchored by Radhika Joshi and Raj Agrawal.

Invocation

Invocaton dances were presented by Devanshi Patel Uppula, Swechha Manikireddy, Harsheta Pratap, Vutpala Sai Samruddhi, Diya Shanmugam, Sucheta Mangalagiri, Kaavya Rapatwar, Ayati Yuvaraj, Shravani Shivashankar, Aditi Mote, Madhusri Prasanna, Darshika Vijay, Sreehitha Shunkishala, Pritika Sivakumar, Medha Sunil, Dr. M Srinivasa Rao, Vanamala Accha, Ahana Hegde, Ananya, Shirisha Devraj and Shreya.

Sanskruti Centre has been presenting culturally and socially important subjects through classical dance, researching & highlighting folk and tribal dance traditions and linguistic diversity of India for the past 14 years in the UK.

Sivapanchakshari Stotra presentation

Ananda Tandava by Shivani Bhandari

Sandhya Tandava by Arya Arun

Kalika Tandava by Yogindra Maravante

Vijaya Tandava by Lakshmi Aveen

Oordhva Tandava by Ragasudha Vinjamuri

Uma Tandava by Manju Sunil

Samhara Tandava by Dr Pritha Dasmahapatra

Sapta Tandavas

Appluading Sapta Tandava

A section of audiences at Sivoham

27 February 2023
Repositioning discussions on Surrealism

Cecily Brown’s magnificent painting Make it Rain (2014, estimate: Pounds 3,500,000-5,500,000) was first shown in Paris in 2014 and has remained in the same collection…reports Asian Lite News

“Our dynamic London 20/21 sale series responds to and amplifies the defining themes of the market today. Offering exquisite collections, iconic works, and a strong representation of pioneering female artists who powerfully shaped the Surrealist movement, we have assembled a vibrant, diverse and celebratory group of works, the majority never seen at auction before, that exemplify the purpose of Christie’s signature 20/21 category: to unite contemporary names with their artistic forebears,” said Giovanna Bertazzoni, Vice Chairman, 20th/21st Century Art Department, Christie’s.

The London Evening Sale will offer works by artists that defined the artistic movements of the 20th Century, while showcasing their legacy in those artists shaping the 21st Century. Sixty-six per cent of the Sale has never before been offered at auction. Exquisite paintings by Paul Cezanne and Vincent van Gogh have been treasured in two distinct collections, each for more than 100 years, while Alexander Calder’s ‘The Ghost’ has remained in the same family collection since 1947

The Art of the Surreal Evening Sale presents Memory of a Surreal Journey: Property from an Important San Francisco Bay Area Collection, a collection of 25 works showcasing the magical interpretations of the world by artists including Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo, Dorothea Tanning and Leonor Fini. Presented through Christie’s unique sale platform exclusively devoted to Surrealist art, the collection was built over more than two decades around a formative trip to Mexico and highlights the dialogues across Latin and Northern America as well as Europe. With an emphasis on revolutionary female artists, this singular collection encapsulates a zeitgeist perceived across the art world, repositioning discussions on Surrealism and the artists who came to represent the movement.

Remedios Varo, Retrato del Doctor Ignacio Chavez (1957, estimate: 2,500,000-3,500,000 Pounds)

Cecily Brown, Make it Rain (2014, estimate: 3,500,000-5,500,000 Pounds)

Rene Magritte’s lyrical gouache Le retour (1957, estimate: 4,000,000-6,000,000 Pounds) presents a dream-like variation on one of the artist’s most poetic motifs: the oiseau de ciel, or ‘sky-bird’.

Offering exquisite collections, iconic works.(photo:IANSLIFE)

Christie’s, as the leading auction house for works by Picasso, joins the art world in a global commemoration of the artist and his legacy, on the 50th anniversary of his death. Pablo Picasso’s Femme dans un rocking-chair (Jacqueline) (1956, estimate: 15,000,000-20,000,000 Pounds) will lead the sale alongside four additional works by the artist

Cecily Brown’s magnificent painting Make it Rain (2014, estimate: Pounds 3,500,000-5,500,000) was first shown in Paris in 2014 and has remained in the same collection

Presented by Christie’s for the first time, Michaela Yearwood Dan’s Love me nots (2021, estimate: Pounds 40,000-60,000) highlights the dynamism of 21st century painters – her work draws on her personal experience while the central voids in her compositions seem to reference the sky ceilings of Renaissance Italy.

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27 February 2023
Art Dubai’s largest-ever edition to take place from March 1-5

Taking place in a purpose-built space, the 2023 Commissions programme will comprise daily performances and food-based experiences that will explore themes of community, celebration, hope, and connection…reports Asian Lite News

Art Dubai has announced the full programme details for its 16th edition, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai from 3rd to 5th March, 2023.

Art Dubai 2023’s gallery programme will feature over 130 presentations from more than 40 countries and six continents, across four sections: Contemporary, Modern, Bawwaba (featuring exclusively new work) and Art Dubai Digital, and will include more than 30 first-time participants.

Art Dubai’s Executive Director Benedetta Ghione commented, “Art Dubai has always tried to reframe what an art fair can be, and this year’s expanded programme fully reflects our role as a meeting point for the region’s creative industries, both commercial and not-for-profit. As an innovative public-private partnership, we have been an incubator of talent, a catalyst for the creative economy here in Dubai, a convener of great minds, and an entry point to this vibrant ecosystem for the wider cultural sector.”

Further highlights of the 2023 programme include artwork premières by some of the art world’s most exciting names, and a series of 10 newly commissioned performance works by artists from across South Asia. Produced in partnership with Art Dubai’s galleries and several leading South Asian cultural organisations, these new site-specific works will comprise daily performances and food-based experiences, exploring themes of community, celebration, hope, and connection.

Continuing the fair’s long-standing commitment to dialogue, diverse voices and development of Dubai’s cultural infrastructure, the 2023 programme will feature more than 50 sessions in an ambitious daily conference, talks and education programme. Highlights include the 16th edition of Art Dubai’s flagship Global Art Forum, the first Dubai edition of Christie’s Art+Tech summit, a series of Modern and Collector talks developed in partnership with Dubai Collection, and a new event in partnership with the Art Business Conference, focusing on sustainability.

Art Dubai is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is the fair’s strategic partner. Madinat Jumeirah is the home of Art Dubai.

Art Dubai’s Artistic Director Pablo del Val commented, “As the global art fair landscape shifts, Art Dubai continues to play an important role profiling and supporting the cultural ecosystems of the Global South and the programme this year fully reflects this region’s growing importance, energy and vibrancy. One of our strongest ever gallery line-ups, complemented by an expanded commissioning and thought-leadership programme, highlights the breadth of discourse that is happening here, and offers a glimpse into the past, present and future of this important region.”

At the centre of the fair’s not-for-profit programme is Art Dubai Commissions, a platform that invites artists to produce site-specific works at the fair, supporting artistic production by local and international artists.

Taking place in a purpose-built space, the 2023 Commissions programme will comprise daily performances and food-based experiences that will explore themes of community, celebration, hope, and connection.

Featured artists will include Prajakta Potnis, Rathin Barman, Gunjan Kumar, Anoli Perera and Tayeba Begum Lipi, and others. The programme is developed in close collaboration with several of Art Dubai’s exhibiting galleries and leading institutions who are playing a key role in supporting artists and artistic production in South Asia. Partners on this ambitious project include Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation in collaboration with Britto Arts Trust, Ishara Art Foundation, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Kochi-Muziris Biennale and Samdani Art Foundation.

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25 February 2023
‘Backing women artisans’

The craft groups were introduced to design techniques like design thinking and color theory, as well as rigorous quality control. This enhanced their understanding of creating unique, contemporary, and market-ready designs…reports Asian Lite News

American Express and Dastkar supports the economic empowerment of craftswomen across nine states in India through market visibility, recognition, and earnings. This initiative is part of American Express and Dastkar’s programme – ‘Backing Women Artisans’ aimed at building financial resilience among women-led small businesses hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Padmashri, Laila Tyabji, Founder Member and Chairperson, Dastkar said, “At the end of phase one of our project, there was a clear need to address more than mere subsistence. For ultimate survival and sustainability, we needed to ensure that the hand skills of Indian craftswomen garner their rightful place in the Indian and international marketplace. For this, new product development and design were a primary necessity. We thank American Express for recognising this need and continuing with their support with an additional grant of approximately INR 1 crore.”

Vibha Bajaj, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Asia, American Express added, “We are strongly committed to women empowerment and backing small businesses. Our association with Dastkar has been very fulfilling and inspiring, where craftswomen have gained a new lease on life with increased earnings and self-confidence. The program sought to honor, enable, and empower these women artisans, giving them their own place in the economic mainstream – as earners and entrepreneurs, and we are proud to have been able to achieve this objective.”

The theme finalised for phase two of the project was ‘AT HOME’ and included household products like soft furnishings, home accessories, art and wall hangings, basketry, and floor coverings. Twelve women-based craft groups with unique identities and a strong will to bring change were selected from across India. Four designers (Harpreet Padam, Puneet Kaushik, Rema Kumar, Sangeeta Sen) with over 25 years of experience and expertise in working with various craft techniques mentored and worked with each group over a period of nine months to produce ranges of 15 items each, including one show-stopper piece in each range.

Dastkar Supporting craftswomen across nine states.(photo:IANSLIFE)

The craft groups were introduced to design techniques like design thinking and color theory, as well as rigorous quality control. This enhanced their understanding of creating unique, contemporary, and market-ready designs. They also benefited from learnings in costing and pricing, sizing, finishing and timelines, direct interaction with design professionals, and understanding of consumer and market trends.

“The project support has been a creative one which helped us brainstorm on making new scalable products for the wider market,” said Nilanjana Das, Founder, of Action Centre for Transformation (ACT), a crafts group based in Haryana.

In 2021, as part of its commitment towards ‘Building Financial Confidence’, American Express provided a grant of approximately INR 1 crore to Dastkar’s Artisan Support Fund to support Indian craftswomen impacted severely due to the pandemic with wages and raw materials.

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22 February 2023
Museum of the Future attracts one million visitors

Al Gergawi expressed his satisfaction with the museum’s achievement, which is in line with the museum’s pledge to host one million visitors in its first year…reports Asian Lite News

The Museum of the Future has achieved a significant milestone by receiving more than one million visitors from 163 countries in its first year of operation since its official opening, Mohammad Al Gergawi, chairman of the museum, announced. This marks a remarkable achievement in Dubai and the UAE’s commitment to imagining, inspiring and designing the future.

Al Gergawi expressed his satisfaction with the museum’s achievement, which is in line with the museum’s pledge to host one million visitors in its first year. He also emphasised the importance of future foresight and the role it plays in realising the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who has transformed the designing and creation of the future into a complete institutional framework.

Al Gergawi also highlighted the museum’s contribution to shifting the traditional view of museums and establishing its significance in harnessing future foresight. The museum has become a global symbol of the future, attracting top experts, scientists, great minds, and architects of the future, along with prominent international institutions that foresee the future.

Moreover, the Museum of the Future has helped Dubai reinforce its global position as a city of the future while embodying a successful global model. Al Gergawi added that the museum sends an important message from the UAE to the world, emphasising the importance of more positive collaboration and action for the benefit of future generations.

In conclusion, the Museum of the Future has proven to be an innovative and significant institution that has contributed to advancing science and knowledge-sharing. It has also played a significant role in realising the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and positioning Dubai as one of the top cities of the future.

The Museum of the Future: A new beacon for knowledge and innovation (WAM)

Since its opening, the Museum of the Future has become a centre for global discussions, collaborations, and innovation in various futurist-specific sectors. It has hosted more than 180 local, regional, and international events, including conferences, forums, and activations related to technology, entrepreneurship, economy, space, tourism, and culture, and received over 1,000 international dignitaries, ministers, officials, and experts, including around 20 heads of government and official delegations from different countries.

The Museum of the Future has also achieved ten international awards for its quality of museum content, future sciences, and architectural design, and attained the LEED Platinum certification for sustainable and environmentally friendly design, construction, and operation. It has hosted representatives of international institutions and organisations, such as the World Intellectual Property Organisation, the International Monetary Fund, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

Through the Future Talks series, the museum has led global discussions and invited some of the most prominent visionaries and thought leaders in the world, including Professor Greg Clark, Global Head of Future Cities and New Industries at HSBC Group, and actor and IFAD Goodwill Ambassador, Idris Elba.

The Museum of the Future has established itself as a center for futurists across various sectors in the region and the world, investing in the creative minds of the Arab region and embracing ideas, projects, initiatives, research, and studies that accelerate Arab scientific development and create a better future for the people of the region.

The museum provides visitors with the unique opportunity to witness potential future scenarios for humanity, using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, interaction between humans and machines, and a journey-based narrative to showcase potential life aboard a space station and a reimagined landscape of Dubai and the world in the year 2071.

Standing at 77 metres high and extending over an area of 30,000 square metres, the Museum of the Future is an engineering marvel that connects the past to the future through its architectural style, appealing to innovative thinkers and future-curious visitors from around the world.

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22 February 2023
‘Kochi Biennale is venue for global art exhibition’

Two renowned artists from Norway, Elle Marja Eira, and Hilde Skancke, are also participating this time…reports Asian Lite News

The Kochi Muziris Biennale embodies the joy of experiencing some of the greatest modern artworks that are completely honest and created with sincerity, said the Norwegian Ambassador to India Hans Jacob Frydenlund, who was at the venue of the 5th edition of the Biennale.

“It is of high significance that the Biennale has paved the way for the exhibition of the global arts itself,” said Frydenlund.

Impressed by the creations of Norwegian artists, Frydenlund and his wife Gina Lund spent considerable time extolling the beauty of the works.

Kochi Biennale is venue for global art exhibition: Norwegian Ambassador.

Two renowned artists from Norway, Elle Marja Eira, and Hilde Skancke, are also participating this time.

“The works of both of them are beautiful and powerful. They are the pride of our nation,” the Norwegian Ambassador said.

The Kochi Biennale provides a unique experience as it reflects the various cultures from across the world and a myriad choice of subjects under a single roof, Hans Jacob Frydenlund opined.

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22 February 2023