Kashmir installations draw crowd in Kochi Biennale
The works of the 14 artists at the Srinagar Biennale, located at TKM Warehouse in Kochi, titled A Place for Repose, has been getting rave reviews for its depiction of pain, sorrow and other aspects of conflict.
With paintings, photography, video and architecturalinstallations, the exhibition that is part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale is amoving exhibition, which has travelled from Jammu, and gone to Baroda andDelhi.
Renowned artist Veer Munshi, who curated the show has put ondisplay his main work, a dargah. While talking to reporters, Srinagar-bornMunshi said, “the nurturing structure borrows elements from Kashmiriarchitecture, reinforced by secular values. Sufi shrines are considered acommon place where all could go and pray.”
Munshi says that the idea is to showcase how spaces likethese have got marginalised. The interior of the Dargah is the eye catchinginstallation. One can find several baby coffins with papier-mache bones andskulls inside the shrine. The installation is surrounded by works of otherartists.
The art comes in the form of performances, paintings,photographs, papier-mache works and new media mix. The participating artists,besides Munshi, are Altaf Qadri, Ehtisham Azhar, Gargi Raina, Hina Aarif, InderSalim, Khytul Abyad, Maumoon Ahmad, Mujtaba Rizvi, Neeraj Bakshi, RajendarTiku, Sanna Irshad Mattoo, Sauqib Bhatt and Showkat Nanda.
Overall, Srinagar Biennale here documents the migration andalienation faced by the Kashmiris. “Most Kashmiri artists have been in and outof the Valley since the 1990s,” notes Munshi, 63. “While some belonging to theminority Hindu community left Kashmir, the others — mostly Muslim — stayedback. Both have suffered in these shrinking cultural spaces.”
Munshi believes that the only recourse is to give life andreturn love to the region; embrace it and become strong. “It is only in thisway we can realise our potential as a community and blossom in ways that wouldbe more beautiful and fruitful than one could have ever imagined,” adds Munshi.
Last year Munshi and other artists organised an artexhibition at the abandoned 100 year old Silk factory. The show with 60Kashmiri artists was a major attraction in Kashmir and was also featured innational and international media. It was that exhibition which got theinvitation to be featured at the Kochi biennale.
Workshop on translation of Punjabi short stories into Kashmiri at New Delhi
A three-day workshop on the translation of contemporary Punjabi short stories into Kashmiri was organised at Sahitya Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
The workshop was held under the supervision of notedKashmiri writer and Convener Kashmiri Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi Dr AzizHajini.
The rendering of representative contemporary short storiesof Punjabi language into Kashmiri shall help in adding a new chapter toKashmiri literature.
The workshop was inaugurated in the presence of Dr KSreenivasarao, Secretary, Sahitya Akademi. He hailed the work being done forthe Kashmiri language through its Advisory Board and expressed his pleasure forthe participation of young Kashmiri translators in the workshop.
Those who are participating in the three-day workshopinclude Dr. Joginger Singh Shan, Dr. Riyaz-ul-Hasan, Yusuf Jahangir, Dr. NisarNadeem, Dr. Shabnam Tilgami, Dr. Younus Tavheed, Anjali Kaul, Dr. RavinderRavi, Nirdhan Maharaj, Mohammad Shafi Rath and Farooq Shaheen.
Kashmir University felicitates nine craftswomen
Nine Kashmiri women were felicitated on Saturday, in a function held at Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC), University of Kashmir (KU), for having successfully presented their artifacts at Lakme Fashion Week-2019 in Mumbai.
The Kashmiri women trained at ‘Usha Garment Design andProduction Centre (UGPC)’, Zakura Campus, University of Kashmir, had designedand developed the artifacts and clothes under the supervision of ace designerRohit Bal.
USHA International Pvt. Ltd. has recently set up the ‘UshaGarment Design and Production Centre (UGPC)’ at Zakura campus of the Universitywith an objective to tap into the massive talent pool among the women inKashmir.
The UGPC established in collaboration with EntrepreneurshipDevelopment Cell (EDC) and Department of Social Work, KU, trained 17 Kashmiriwomen in the art of stitching/sewing to produce artifacts and garments to belaunched at Lakme Fashion Week 2019, at Mumbai.
Bal supervised the production of artifacts by Kashmiri womentrainees at UGPC, University of Kashmir.
Subsequently, the artifacts of nine of the women were shortlistedto be displayed at Lakme Fashion Week-2019 in Mumbai where all the nineopulentartifacts passed the critical eye test and made it to the customers’ wardrobes,said a statement from the varsity.
The artifacts were priced roughly between Rs.12000 toRs.32000 and as such made humble earnings for the women.
While felicitating the skilled women, Registrar Universityof Kashmir Dr. Nissar Ahmad Mir, said that the art of sewing and stitchingpaves way for a dignified earning for women.
Author of “Jaffna Street” delivers lecture at CUK
The Department of Politics and Governance organised a lecture by Dr Mir Khalid, author of “Jaffna Street” on “The Why and How of Writing” at Green Campus of the varsity here today.
Department Coordinator, Dr. Khalid Wasim Hassan, introducedthe speaker and his book “Jaffna Street” to the students.
Dr. Mir Khalid talked about his book “Jaffna Street” andsaid the aim of writing the book was to create a tradition of sociological andoral history, which could be used by people from around the world to gaininformation about the conflict.
The “How” part of the lecture was answered by the author inthese terms–the human mind is conditioned to observe and think which results indevelopment of analytical faculties and emotional intelligence. This results inenriching the imagination, reinvigorating beauty and redeeming our expectationto an unfathomable amorphous collective future. He then mentioned the source ofinspiration for his book was from a passage in Joan Acocella’s, Mikhail Bary in”Life Stories”. This paragraph, with its brevity and clarity and the idea itsought to put forward, that is, individual excellence that is achieved byhumans with internal conflict and angst.
The author then gave tips to avoid while writing i.e. oneshould avoid privilege seeking, mediocrity, chasing celebrityhood, confusingacclaim with achievement, insular attitudes.
“One should gain familiarity with English language idiom,prevalent colloquial word play in fiction, non-fiction and poetic levels andthe ongoing situations in different cultures.”
Dr Rafeeq Masoodi Inaugurates the Urdu Peace Mushaira in New Delhi
All India Urdu peace mushaira was organised by Aalmi Urdu Majlis at New Delhi and was dedicated to PM of New Zealand for her exemplary courage and conduct during recent attack on muslim worshippers in the country.
2 minute silence and Fateha was also offered to the martyrsof Al-Noor Mosque Christchurch New Zealand.
Former ADG Doordarshanand Patron Rafiabad Addabi Markaz Dr Rafeeq Masoodi lit the candle to inaugurate the Mushaira.Educationists, philanthropist andsocio-literarary activist of Delhi Hafiz ul Kalim presided over the event. DrMasoodi in his speech lauded the efforts of Dr Hanif Tareen founder presidentof AUM (Aalmi urdu majlis) for organising such a colourful event which wasdedicated to PEACE.
Hafiz in his presidential address highlighted theGanga-Jamuni Culture of India which in no will be allowed to derail at anycost. He said we have same culture, festivals and social fibre and enjoybrotherhood but some forces are trying to create wedge which will not succeed.
Mushaira was attended by poets across the country andcontinues past midnight. Bashir Chiragh publicity secretary of AUM New Delhithanked all participants and dignitaries and proposed vote of thanks too.