Planner: 6 events to enliven your week

SUFI MYSTICISM

The National Centre for the Performing Arts is holding its annual Sufi music festival, Sama’a. The opening day on Friday featured a talk by Prof. Naman Ahuja on the epic of Chandayan, which was first written down in Awadhi by Maulana Da’ud in 1379. The subsequent days will feature performances by Nizami Bandhu, from the Sikandra gharana of Uttar Pradesh, and Rekha and Vishal Bhardwaj. Nizami Bandhu’s ancestors were part of the legendary Qawwal Bachhe group. Vishal and Rekha Bhardwaj will connect the ancient with the contemporary with compositions such as Naina Thag Lenge. At Tata Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai, 8-9 February, 6.30pm.

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CREATING PURE ART

Gallery Art Positive in Delhi is presenting An Abstract Pause, a group show curated by Georgina Maddox. Featuring works by artists such as Bose Krishnamachari, Manish Pushkale, Shobha Broota and Sujata Bajaj, An Abstract Pause looks at ways in which abstraction lets artists “discover an alternative principle, that allows artists to escape from the narratives of our collective and individual existence to create pure art”. Interestingly, the exhibition also explores the idea of the “multiverse” in art, and the multiplicities of our lives, extending to both the virtual and the real. At Gallery Art Positive, Delhi, till 28 February, 11am-6pm (closed on Sundays). 

PRESENT IMPERFECT

The solo exhibition, Migrants in the Museum, by Probir Gupta talks about issues of social inequality and human rights through a diverse mix of media, including painting, sculpture, video, photography and installation. At Travancore House, KG Marg, Mandi House, Delhi, till 11 February, 11am-7pm. For details, visit www.anantart.com. 

A SENSE OF SELF

Curated by Anica Mann, Origin Story is an exhibition with over 30 contemporary artists, both emerging and established, taking part in it. Some of the names include Adarsh Baji, Harshita Sharma, Raki Nikahetiya, Sriparna Dutta and Vanita Gupta. On show are artworks that tell stories of identity, memory and transformation. At IILM Center for Arts and Ideas, Rouse Avenue, Delhi, till 10 February, 10am onwards.

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THE PASTORALISTS' WAY OF LIFE

It's the sixth edition of Living Lightly Utsav, which focuses on raising awareness about Indian pastoral communities’ traditions and ecological knowledge, includes exhibitions, film screenings, an art and crafts bazaar, and live folk music performances. At Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Mallathahalli, Bengaluru, till 16 February, timings vary. For details, visit Ignca.nic.in. 

INDO-KOREA HISTORY COMES ALIVE

Get ready for Limits of Change, a one-of-a-kind immersive art and storytelling experience, commissioned and presented by InKo Centre in association with the Chennai Photo Biennale Edition 4. The production, conceptualized by Parvathi Nayar and Nayantara Nayar, explores an untold chapter of Indo-Korean history. A production that blends theatrical performance with art installations, some of the highlights include a bedtime story video, Miss P and the Princess of Ay, and a display of artifacts and installations inspired by Tamil-Korean legends such as the Princess of Ay who traveled to Korea centuries ago. At Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai, 8- 20 February, 11am-7pm. For details, visit chennaiphotobiennale.foundation. 

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