Artmeter

The Show Unfolds: The evening started slowly but music has its own power and sway it was like sitting in a huge spaceship, being elevated into another universe, away from all that is temporal and real. Ustad saheb explained about his art, that vocalists can speak thorough their lyrics, but for him his language is the sarod the highs and the lows of the notes, the tempo, the anguish, the euphoria, all comes across by the music itself. Ustad Saheb had won the Padmashree just the day before the performance, and his family was inundated with congratulations.

Who Was There: Taj had organised an intimate evening of few music lovers to enjoy a more personalised performance. While the glamour element was lacking, there were many music lovers who stayed back for dinner and cocktails.

Event: The RPG Collection of Self Portraits at the NGMA

The Show Unfolds: Harsh Goenka’s personal collection was thrown open to people on Feb 3. I remember his last show (to celebrate 50 years of our Independence), where each invitee had been given a CD, a collection of old-time Hindi Film music greats for the last fifty years. What makes his shows special is the composition and harmony with which the paintings are hung each work holds its own, without taking away from the others, which are all strong vociferous works within themselves and representative of some of the best names.

Watch Out For: The works gave an insight into the person and the work at the same time. Many of these are from Harsh’s annual camps: Prithpal Singh Ladi, Rameshwar Broota, Vasudev, S H Raza, Yusuf Arakkal, Imtiaz Dharkar catch it before Feb 14.

Who Was There: Harsh’s, and his wife Mala’s, special brand of warmth and hospitality mark the camps. They were there throughout the reception evening, greeting guests with their characteristic graciousness Jehangir Sabawala, Kahini Arte Merchant, Naina Kanodia, glass sculpture maestro Kayur Patel, Naina and Vijay Kanodia, art critic Girish Shahne, Pravina Jamaat and Jamaal Mcklei.

Event: Zakir Hussain and the art fraternity pays homage to Ustad Alla Rakha

The Show Unfolds: Straight from the NGMA show by Harsh Goenka, several invitees walked across to a performance by artists John McLaughlin, Giovanni Adelgo, Sikiru Adepoju, L Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Shivamani, Fazal Qureshi and Taufiq Qureshi. Organised by the Kala Ghoda Association at Rampart Row, the event pulsated with the rhythm and beat of conventional instruments and a contemporary trend which made it universal in its appeal. It began with a totally stimulating rendition of folk music by the Nasik band. The evening brought forth a response from beyond the Kala Ghoda neighbourhood. Zakir Hussain was, of course, at his crowd-pulling best, but an enthralling surprise was the artist who played upon a matka-like instrument, making the audience come alive. A resounding success!

Who Was There: Kala Ghoda parking lot saw hundreds of them in their Hermes and Solitaires and Kanjeevarams.