Five-day multi-arts festival to begin at IIC from Oct. 7

To celebrate Indo-Russian diplomatic relations, play on Yamuna, music, dance, films

The India International Centre (IIC) will come alive for five days from October 7 to 11 with the comprehensive multi-arts festival, which will flow from indoor to the outdoor spaces and at night, diyas and floral rangoli will add to the air of festive enchantment.

Loyal to organising its trademark programme of art exhibitions, music, theatrical productions, dance, and film screenings, the ‘IIC Experience: A Festival of The Arts’ is set to open early next month.

From an exhibition titled, ‘The Russian State and India’, which will include archival photographs, maps, copies of paintings among others to commemorate diplomatic relations between the two countries to ‘Rumbles in the Playpen’, a contemporary work on sculptures and installations by young artistes, the festival will showcase varied themes.

“The festival deserves critical attention and not only adoration,” said Ashok Vajpayee from Raza Foundation.

The inaugural programme is ‘Where the Streets are Fragrant with Sandal Paste’, new ensemble works in Bharatnatyam, choreographed by Justin McCarthy. The show will focus on the Yamuna, the ideal vision people have about it and the actual reality.

“The idea came to me when I saw a picture in a newspaper of the river

The inaugural show of the festival will focus on the Yamuna, the ideal vision that people have about the river and the actual reality

covered in pink froth and that what set me up,” said Mr McCarthy, referring to the dilapidated state of the river due to the pollution load it carries.

The other programmes include Carnatic violin duet performance by the Mysore Brothers, Mohan se Mahatma, a play to mark the centenary of the Champaran satyagraha, presented by Pierrot’s troupe and directed by Sayeed Alam, Hindustani vocal music by Nandini Bedekar as a tribute to renowned vocalist Kishori Amonkar.

Also Cremona Quartet, a well-known string quartet from Italy, would present a concert of western classical music and folk dances and music from Cambodia, presented by Cambodian Artist Troupe led by Sok Sidony.

The film festival this year will also focus on cities entitled ‘A Cinematic Journey Through Cities’, featuring 10 award winning films from Italy covering the period from 1950 to 2014.

The five-day festival will also see curated meals by chefs based in the city such as chef Alex Moser, who works with farmer groups across the country, will present diverse delicacies from various states in India.