Mumbai glimmers with art,culture,music,peppy spirit at Kala Ghoda #KGAF16
“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” -Edgar Degas
Art has this amazing ability to visually entice you, capture your attention and surround you with it’s brimming emotions in a way that transcends barriers across society.
It has the power to compel you to think, interpret and perceive the story behind the art, through the looking glass of dreams, hope and imagination.
This year again, the Kala Ghoda Arts festival KGAF 2016 has brought together a diverse group of creative geniuses to showcase their amazing talent at the Hindustan Times Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, KGAF in Mumbai.
I glanced through the entrance of Kala Ghoda on Saturday Feb 6th 2016, as I was heading back home after my 5th workshop on Digital Marketing and Social media in Mumbai which was held at the venue very close to this amazing festival.
As I whizzed past the colourful entrance of the first day of this festival, I promised myself that I would be here the next morning.
And I was!
I went to the splendid Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai today morning (7th Feb 2016) with few family and friends.
We reached early so as to get to spend as much time as possible, see if we could even meet a few artists who were mingling and yes, click as many pictures of these breathtaking works of art as possible.
The place was alive with visitors who were filled with zeal and energy that would put a smile for sure across faces.
Throughout this vast area we could see spectacular works of art, amazingly creative and interactive installations, photography, music, culture and peppy kids with people visiting from not only across Mumbai, but across cities and even countries.
Each work of art is a visual treat, no doubt, but the story telling power through theater, music, etc here are things which one needs to experience too!
I loved every single display, but there were few to be specific, which I loved the most.
These were the ones I felt had the power to dazzle us: For eg. “The Duo for Freedom” (which plays a visual trick on you), Some of these works of art would stupefy you as it brings to light the dark side of life for eg. “Betrayed”, few others which would embolden you to interact and engage with these works of art for eg. “Embark”, “Preserve or Perish”, “Mumbai beyond”, “Unity within Diversity”, “Junk Genie” and of course others that would bring about emotions of amusement, entertainment and simple joys as you stand, watch and take it all in.
I loved every visual display at that festival today, but, there were these two works of art at KGAF16 which simply took my breath away today.
1) LET’S TALK:
“Art is the right hand of Nature. The latter has only given us being, the former has made us men” ~ Friedrich Schiller
It was visual arts through sculptures created by 3 disabled and 3 non-disabled sculptors. It was unbelievable. It showcased “signs and symbols” using which (the display quoted, ‘The “deaf” and “deaf-blind” communicated’)
2) The Duo For Freedom:
“Good art is art that allows you to enter it from a variety of angles and to emerge with a variety of views” ~ Mary Schmich
Do not miss this one: And this is a visual trick: The closer you get to this art, the lesser you can see.
So the trick here is to walk far away and look straight at it. If you still can’t see the magic happen, take out your smartphone, open the camera and look at the image from far away and you will see the master artist’s face emerge through the art work.
This was a great tribute to Picasso who is known for his ‘non-verbal self expressions’ through abstract works of art.
It’s simply fabulous.
CONCEPT Reuse-Recycle and Renew our Mother Earth.
These are some of the exhibits that I saw, spoke to people or even few of the artists who were willing to share their story behind creating such spectacular works of art:
- TOWER OF BABEL ’16
- AMCHI MUMBAI LUV Mumbai
- FAMILY OF WIRE FIGURES
- CUTTING CHAI
“To send light into the darkness of men’s hearts – such is the duty of the artist” ~ Robert Schumann
- CHHOTI RICKSHAW BADDI SAVARI
- LET’S TALK: Being an advocacy-driven NGO, Trinayani raises questions on inclusive visual arts through these sculptures by 3 disabled and 3 non-disabled sculptors
- ORIGAMI CANOPY: An abstract canopy using paper origami
- WELCOME TO BRAZILIAN TERRITORY
- DOLNA THE MOVEMENT PRESENTS ‘DUO OF FREEDOM’
- A FISH OUT OF WATER
- FOOD FOR THOUGHT
- BETRAYED PRESENTED
- UNIFIED BY DIVERSITY
“Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter’s soul” ~ Vincent Van Gogh
- INSTALLATION ON CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
- LOVE IN EXCHANGE: Eiffel Tower and Love Padlocks which are expressions of hope and humanity, connecting people around the world with the one thing that unites us all: Love
- FOUND BEYOND
- BORDERS OF GRID
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free” ~ Michelangelo
- EXISTENCE:: CREATION::UNIVERSE: The installation uses wheat, rice, brass, steel, and other forms to show the greatness of the sun, the 16 phases of the moon
- ROBOT, WARRIOR, PENGUIN, STALLION
- INFINITY – SHIFTING BORDERS
- E=MC2 (ENERGY OF MUMBAI’S CULTURAL CHAOS)
“Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced” ~ Leo Tolstoy
- TOGETHER AS ONE
- EMBARK
- PIXEL DIALOGUES
- A CREATIVE SANCTUARY
“Art is a harmony parallel with nature” ~ Paul Cezanne
- MAGIC OUT OF JUNK BY PEARLITES
- COSMIC COALESCE
- INCREDIBLE WORLDS
“Art is to me what feeds my soul, ounce by ounce my daily rolling role” ~ Ananth V
You can find this amazing work of art “Betrayed” at Kala Ghoda 2016 by “The Hands of Hope foundation”
https://www.facebook.com/recognizepreventprotect
“By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower” ~ Rabindranath Tagore
I will be going once more for sure during this week when I am back in Mumbai!
All the artworks displayed across this post are the artists’s copyrights only and I am just one among the millions of visitors enjoying the show. The copyrights added to the images from my end are only for the pictures clicked by me and not for the artworks which belong to each of the artists who have created them. The details of artists (in complete detail) can be available at the link shared below.
I had a meeting today (9th Feb 2016) in Fort, so ensured to attend the event again after the same. So the image you see above is with new updates at the KGAF event.
Have fun!
Few details about KGAF:
KGAF 2016 starts from Saturday 6th February to Sunday 14th February 2016
Make In India Festival from Saturday 13th February to Wednesday 17th February 2016
For complete details: http://www.kalaghodaassociation.com
Did you go to the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival this year or are you planning to?
Do share your experiences, views and comments with me here!
Would love to hear from you!
Be Well
Let’s connect – Twitter – Facebook – LinkedIn –Amazon Social media Book – Digital Marketing Workshop
Ananthanarayanan V 
Thank You Anant for writing about our art installation ‘betrayed’ at kala Ghoda 2016 🙂 Warm regards
Insia Dariwala
Founder-The Hands of Hope foundation.
Please find us on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/recognizepreventprotect/?fref=ts
You are most welcome. You art was spectacular, as it spoke about one of the biggest concerns across the globe today.
I hope it reaches across the right audiences and they realize the impact of the same too.
I have asked all of my peers and friends to check out your artwork for sure.
Have an amazing festival and good luck with your efforts. Ananth V http://www.ananthv.com
Hi Insia Dariwala,
Thanks again for your kind words about my blog post. I have shared a Higher resolution picture of your amazing work with a Link to your Facebook page as part of this blog post. Keep inspiring us with such an incredible work through your foundation and I hope this message spreads the way it seriously deserves to! Be Well. Have a great week. Ananth
Remove the copyright tag from abdul kalam pictures. I am the artist who has made it. You don’t have any right to claim it yours.
Hello Ruchi,
Firstly, I have removed your image and any details I had shared about your beautiful artwork.
Having said that, I felt as a Blogger in today’s world, I have a responsibility to share this information with you: So do take a few minutes, may be just two to read the points shared below:
– I am a blogger and a Social media influencer, not an artist. So when I write about any artwork or artist, I am sharing my awe for their brilliant talent and not ‘trying to claim any rights of their work’.
– Having said that, the copyrights I have added to the images are for the Photographs clicked by me to be not reused by others without my written approval of the same and these are not to claim copyrights of the artwork.
– Every artist or writer or an individual has the right to decide whether their pictures or pictures of their works can be shared online or not and if there are clauses, “like the one you have mentioned” what they would be. Because of which, I have understood your concern and not only removed the image, but also removed all the wonderful things I had written about your work, as a visitor of Kala Ghoda since ages. Its your work and you have the right to decide how it can be promoted.
– Do note: This is the jet-age. Where people love clicking pictures of beautiful and wonderful stuff, tagging their friends and family encouraging them to share and be a part of the moment. At the same time, you created an artwork of one of the greatest icons of this century, Mr.Abdul Kalam whom I had the pleasure of meeting myself few years ago and I have to say, the person about whom you have created this art and the title that you choose totally sound different from the rude way you have added your comment without understanding the background of sharing the same.
Anyways, I was there today noon as I was invited by few artists who read this same article of mine and shared their THANK YOU for writing about them and saying such wonderful stuff. In fact I was looking for the person who had created this artwork (which is you) to say how wonderful it is, but could not find you. Now I am just glad I didn’t.
– It is sad that as an artist you had to choose such a strong rude line to add as a comment without understanding the WHY behind it. I guess there is always a first time for everything.
FINALLY: Do read my entire post in detail which clearly mentions what the images mean and whom the copyrights belong to, since I guess, you reacted in an angry moment just like that!
No issues, all the best for a great future ahead. I respect your decision as an artist but not your tone as a human being.
Ananth V
Dear All, You can check out the LIVE Twitter updates here – https://twitter.com/htKGAF
hey these are wonderful images and description about the Kala Ghoda arts festival in Mumbai. Will try to attend it this weekend with friends. Looks very interesting.
Tnx
Rupali Mehta
dear Ananth,
Thank you for your blog capturing all the installations and the spirit of Kalagodha 2016. This truly represents the fun of being a part of a large public art festival where we enjoy so many people’s perspectives, pictures their interpretations and the memories they take away from our work. So thank for your effort to capture it back for us.
My work is on my fb page subinaaurorakhaneja so please do visit and like.
Look forward to reading more of your bloggings.
Subina
Hello Subina
Thank you for your kind words and wonderful comment.
Yes, the event brings back amazing memories, especially for visitors like us who attend it every year.
As for artists like yourself, its a privilege for me to connect.
Will surely check your facebook page and profile. Feel free to connect Be Well Ananth