5 events to get your cultural fix this weekend

GRAVITY-DEFYING

Aerial poetry is how Yoann Bourgeois Art Company and Compagnie ISI describe the double bill, Elevation, which is touring India. Presented by the French Institute of India, in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise Network in India, this production brings together Approach 17. Opening Act and Dialogue au Mat (Le Mat), choreographed, respectively, by Yoann Bourgeois—known for collaborations with Coldplay and Harry Styles—and Lucan Struna. At Freedom Park, Bengaluru, 17-18 January; Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad on 24 January; and at the Lodhi Art District Festival, New Delhi, on 1 February.

SAFE SPACES

Method Kala Ghoda is presenting Dheer Kaku’s solo exhibition, Unstill Life. The artist follows a still-life approach to architectural elements both in his sculptures and assemblages. He looks at how shared spaces have disappeared from our daily lives. This stems from his growing-up years when he sought moments of calm within a busy and difficult environment. Especially interesting in this context is his Safe place, in which Kaku inserts a drawing of home within a maze of buildings—akin to the geographical markers on GPS navigation systems. At Method Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, till 15 February, 2-8pm on weekdays, and from 12-8pm on weekends. (Closed on Monday and Tuesday).

THREADED TALES

Curated by Shreya Sharma, the Sut Te Saah: Stories Woven in Phulkari exhibition brings together over 40 rare phulkaris and baghs from pre-Partition Punjab, and from the Majha, Doaba, and Malwa regions. The show draws from the collections of Amit Hansraj and Brig. Surinder and Shyama Kakar. At Latitude 28, Defence Colony, Delhi, till 26 January, 11am–7pm. For details, visit www.latitude28.com.

A SMORGASBORD OF ART EXPERIENCES

The fifth edition of the Museum of Art and Photography's art festival, Art is Life 2026, kicks off today. The two-day event brings together 52 specially designed experiences. Highlights include the launch of the semi-permanent exhibition, Beneath the Turning Sky, curated walkthroughs of MAP’s exhibitions, and live performances by Arivu and the Casteless Collective, Manteswamy Katha Prasanga, and Kalburgi Kala Mandali. At MAP, Kasturba Road, Shanthala Nagar, 17-18 January, 10.30am onwards. For details, visit https://map-india.org/ 

REMEMBERING A MARATHI LITERARY LEGEND

This weekend, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) presents two celebrated works by the legendary P.L. Deshpande. The evening opens with Mad Sakharam, Deshpande's satirical response to the censorship controversy surrounding Vijay Tendulkar's Sakharam Binder, directed by Mangesh Satpute. It will be followed by Marathi Vangmayacha Ghaliv Itihas, a theatrical adaptation of his acclaimed literary work that “examines the excluded history of Marathi literature”. The play has been adapted by Mukesh Machka and directed by Satpute. At Godrej Dance Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai, 18 January, 5pm and 7.15 pm.