The first-ever Contemporary Art Festival in the Tricity organised by Infosys Foundation, Bengaluru and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chandigarh, has been witness to enchanting performances by varied artistes.
Well-known classical music player of the city Subhash Ghosh gave an excellent presentation with the entire auditorium reverbating with the tinkling of his classical instruments. Ghosh has participated in many national and international levels. He has also shown his art in many programs organized by the Chandigarh Administration.
On the other hand, the city’s famous singer Rajwinder Kaur gave beautiful rendition of Gurmat Sangeet and Hindustani Classical Music. The audience appreciated the performance of both these artistes. Rajwinder Kaur has presented her art samples in many countries across the globe. She has also worked with famous Bollywood singers — Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan.
A clown play ‘Romeo Juliet and Seven Masquerades’ directed by Sukhmani Kohli, daughter of the city’s well-known late theater artiste GS Channi, was staged. Speaking about clown plays, which are different from a traditional clown play, Sukhmani says, “A clown is not only meant to paint the face or the nose red, clown is an important part of our life and human soul. The work of the theatre is not just to laugh or do funny acts, it also makes you feel like a different character”. The message of love was given through this drama.
Melodious qawwalis sung by Ropar-based Hardeep Kainth and troupe also captivated the audience. Classical vocal recitals were performed by Ishmeet and Paramjyot. The soft and soulful voices of these singers who presented mellifluous numbers in Punjabi and Hindi enraptured the audience.
The second day also saw the art exhibition which displayed works by various artists from around the Tricity. An art workshop was held for three days from Dec 9-Dec 11 for the audience. It was sheer joy to watch the artists bring their canvas to life with myriad themes and vibrant colours.
The program is being telecast live on the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Chandigarh and Bengaluru YouTube channels. Entry is free for the general public on all days.
