Normally held for nine days at nine venues within the city, the Bengaluru International Arts Festival (BIAF) 2020, has taken the virtual route this time around. For their 13th edition, which was inaugurated on Friday, the BIAF has chosen the theme ‘Celebrating Harmony Through Arts’.
“We had hoped the pandemic situation would’ve improved by October, but when it didn’t, we decided to go ahead with a virtual format. It was encouraging to get a positive response from artistes in Russia, Indonesia, and Malaysia for this year’s event,” said Veena Murthy Vijay, a bharatanatyam and kuchipudi dancer, who founded this platform for performing arts with Suma Sudhindra, a veena maestro.
The BIAF has collaborated with Kala Yatra helmed by Sonal Mansingh and their events will also be streamed at this year’s fest.
The second leg of the festival from October 16 to 18 will see a kuchipudi performance by Swathi Atluri and a retelling of the Ramayana in the Bharatanatyam Margam format by the Punyah Dance Company, among other performances. “A modern dance presentation by the Tarak Dance Company, titled ‘Big High to New Normal’, will also be a part of the event,” she added.
One can view the second session of the BIAF on www.facebook.com/Bengaluruinternationalartsfestival/ or on YouTube at Biaf.aim/ www.biaf.co.in
