Art: Dance, Painting

Enthralling Dance Performance in Midst of Crumbling Heritage:

In 2007, a Brazilian Kathak dancer, performed at Dhal ni Pol, depicting the sad story of loss. The lost past, the heritage - the thread connecting us to the to the earth where we belong. Through her dance, she brought ruins of the old city alive.The performance was called "The Colour Red", symbolising pain of collapsing past.

Through Heritage Festival, many organizations have consciously worked towards the preservation of the city heritage in various creative ways. But, dancing among the ruins to manifest the screams of those beautifully carved buildings was an experience in itself. 

Manuela Banini is a performance artist and an educator working mostly in Brazil, England and India. She worked extensively against the disappearing heritage.

Various eminent newspapers covered this one-off dance performance: 

Space is generally conceptualized or perceived as static entity. Manuela Banini's dance challenged this static conception of space, and brought people face to face with an enthralling experience of city and dance. As the dancer's feet moved telling the story of destruction, the ruins around her stood as a live projection of the dance. The dance was posited between the people and the city - connecting them, bridging them.

Colours of the City, Perspective Roads, and the Built Heritage on Canvas by Harshil Patel:

In 2008, Harshil Patel, displayed twelve of his paintings under the title of "Halo of Ahmedabad's Heritage." The artist has roamed around the city of Ahmedabad at night to experience the city in its essences. The Painter claims to lay out the city on canvas in its form.Being brought up in the walled city of Ahmedabad, the artist relate most to the rich cityscape of that part of the city, and draws inspiration from it. 

  

Harshil Patel gave a live demonstration by painting in front  of Kalupur Swaminarayana Tample. He awed everyone present by his talent including Maharahshri and other dignitaries. 

    

Performative and Visual coming together:

It is said that where nothing reaches, art does. Art bridges the abyss created and recreated by the human race. One such artist of Ahmedabad, inspired by the mystery of the cityscape, translated his vision and perspective on canvas. The promising Young artist Harshil Patel's paintings depict city's struggle to hold on to its Heritage. Bringing art to its climax, Manuela Banini danced in front of these paintings juxtaposing the city and the art.