A treat for art lovers

The Adil Shah Palace — Goa’s old State Secretariat situated on the banks of the river Mandovi — was the residence of the 16th century King Yusuf Adil Shah, the last Indian ruler of Goa.

The palace is the venue of Old Homes, New Homelands, a photography exhibition, which is part of the ongoing Serendipity Arts Festival. The exhibition is based on the private collection of Arminio Rebiero, who has been collecting family photographs from the late 19th and through the 20th century. The photos aim to capture the Goan diaspora.

The curated, interdisciplinary arts festival that aims to change the way art is viewed is witnessing a massive lineup of fascinating activities and eminent guests.

The festival has provided a perfect platform to all art enthusiasts by organising diverse art shows at signature venues along the river.

Our Eyes, Our Stories features the work of six photographers from across the globe, whose photographs explore the unique connect between man and nature, questions of identity, the metaphysical realm of individual existence, and grief of the rape survivors and victims in India.

Shedding inhibitions

The Spoken Word Project | Kommune is the modern-day take on the good old days of sitting around a campfire sharing stories. At a time when interactions primarily take place across screens, project encourages people to connect with one another by sharing their personal experiences without inhibitions. The performers included Anoop K.R, Roshan Abbas, Shamir Reuben, and Tess Joseph.

The Adil Shah Palace also plays host to Lucid Sleep. Curated by HH Art Spaces Foundation, the per formance art project comprises a series of long-durational live works by seven artists. A performance by Chotu Virtual Migration dealt with the issue of migration, physical and imagined, across class and social divide.

The artist made references to Goa as a place where people come to be cleaned and refreshed by the sea and the sun, a place where social boundaries are crossed freely, and sexual and spiritual freedom is not compromised.

Creativity on postcards

The Old GMC Compound was the venue for an interesting workshop on Sanjhi Paper Cut by Mohan Verma, while children received a dose of craft education at the Camlin Children’s corner. Carrying forward the tradition of postcards, Post Goa offered children the scaled canvas to share their ideas.

The Mandovi Promenade on the outskirts of the city hosted The Promenade of Express/Aspire , a photography workshop by Samar S. Jodha, with young photographers and students from local schools, which highlighted the need for education for the less privileged.

The daily music and dance section included Pravaha: The Flow Of Lif. Curated by Sanjeev Bhargava, it was an extraordinary amalgamation of dance styles by Parwati Dutta and her troupe Nrityaruta. The performance reflected on the idea of life and conservation using the river as a narrative.

Enthralling music

There was also a treat for lovers of classical music in Living Traditions , a concert of Hindustani classical music curated by Shubha Mudgal. The performance featured Murad Ali, Kaushiki Chakraborty and Mohammed Akram. The Heart of Drums featured Sidi Goma Tribe, Electronica and the Big Drums ensemble.

The Serendipity Arts Festival will have an enthralling line up of performances and exhibitions till December 23, with something new unfolding each day for lovers of art.