The new kids on Mumbai’s art block are set to head northwards. The Colaba-based Gallery XXL will move out of the city to new pastures in Delhi come September. “Having spent a year and a half in Mumbai, we wanted to widen our audience with a focus on socio-political art in the context of urban programming,” shared curator Sarah Malik
Pic/Atul Kamble
Whispering sweet nothings
A woman embraces a pet dog who seems to be quite content with the TLC at Chowpatty.
Next halt: Delhi
A visitor at the Colaba gallery. PIC COURTESY/GALLERY XXL ON INSTAGRAM
The new kids on Mumbai’s art block are set to head northwards. The Colaba-based Gallery XXL will move out of the city to new pastures in Delhi come September. “Having spent a year and a half in Mumbai, we wanted to widen our audience with a focus on socio-political art in the context of urban programming,” shared curator Sarah Malik. The curator further revealed, “We do wish to have a presence in other parts of India, including Mumbai and Goa — the late Hanif Qureshi’s own studio. To that end, we will be collaborating with artists, and other host design studios and galleries.”
Regal welcome for Hitchcock in Mumbai
Regal Cinema
In conversation with this diarist earlier this month, Film Heritage Foundation founder Shivendra Singh Dungarpur had hinted at a return of classic films to Regal Cinema. The Foundation has now officially announced regular screenings of filmmaking icons like Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford and Akira Kurosawa starting next month.
Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. PICS COURTESY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (right) Alfred Hitchcock
“Our emphasis is on classic films for cinephiles, and we will be starting with a series on Alfred Hitchcock. These screenings will be unlike others, since they will be restored prints that are archived and often rare to experience on the large screen,” Dungarpur had told this diarist. In times where box office numbers are hailed supreme, we were glad to hear that the screenings will be free to view on a first-come-first-served basis. For updates on the schedule, log on to @filmheritagefoundation.
More room for colourful experiments
Shilton Dmello with a revamped globe installation at the laboratory. PIC COURTESY/SHILTON DMELLO
The walls of school laboratories can tend to be uninspiring. But what if there was an opportunity to add a splash of colour? Artist Shilton Dmello saw that opportunity at Dominic Savio Vidyalaya, Ghatkopar, and turned the walls of the laboratory into vibrant ones. He reveals how this idea took shape, “Lab supervisor Roshan D’silva reached out to me with the idea. I wanted to contribute with something exciting. We gave the ceiling an outer space-themed look with stars and planets. We also added lights to give it a special touch.” He added, “Fr Savio D’Souza, manager of the school, gave the nod for the project, while engineering consultant and executor Jonathan Dias helped with the technical and mechanical design.”
An act of violins
Young musicians and (right) Mika Nishimura welcome students with a violin performance. PICS COURTESY/MIKA NISHIMURA
Children at the Muktangan Education Trust in Worli walked into their classroom to a peppy background score last Saturday. Playing violins at the gate were 18 students of the Sound of Soul music school led by Japanese violinist Mika Nishimura. “We wanted to mark World Music Day in style. Our young musicians come from schools and colleges spread across Mumbai. They were glad to join the initiative,” Nishimura told us. As for the unusual sight of students dancing and grooving into their classrooms, co-founder Inaya Merchant revealed, “It wasn’t just the children who had a field day, the parents and passers-by all joined in. A woman from across the building even stepped out to cheer us on with a loud and spirited ‘Good job!’”
Wriggle with me
Children at a nature camp (right) an earthworm. PICS COURTESY/ROOTS NATURE CLUB
If the mention of earthworms is already giving you the heebie-jeebies, you definitely need an intervention by the Roots Nature Club this weekend. On July 28, the club will host an ‘earthworm party’ for parents and children in Bandra to familiarise them with the friendly worms. “There’s only so much you can learn from books and educational videos. I highly recommend Mumbaikars roll their sleeves up and get their hands dirty to meet the city’s unsung helpers this monsoon,” shared founder Pooja Lalwani. To register and for more details on the location, log on to @rootsnatureclub on Instagram.
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