Nestled alongside the scenic Panjim waterfront, close to the tranquil Mandovi river in Goa, the previous Directorate of Accounts constructing has lengthy captured the eye of passersby with its expansive verandas, majestic colonnade, and whispered tales of hidden tunnels. Initially constructed within the 1500s, the Portuguese-era constructing will now echo with the colourful pulse of the humanities.
Present process restoration for over two months, it is likely one of the a number of heritage venues internet hosting the Serendipity Arts Competition (SAF) being held in Goa from December 15 to 22. “Tradition doesn’t at all times require infrastructure… Totally different venues serve completely different functions and we hope to problem the traditional boundaries of what tradition may be, shifting away from the thought of a ‘white field’ house,” says Smriti Rajgarhia, Director, SAF.
Since its first version in 2016, the pageant has grown manifold — from 53 tasks unfold over eight venues within the inaugural yr to over 200 tasks throughout 22 venues this yr, and a leap in footprints from one lakh to at least one million-plus in 2023. “It has been fairly an natural progress and a proud second for us to see the way it has come collectively,” says Rajgarhia.
Annually, a brand new cohort of curators is invited to form the pageant’s programming, which spans a wealthy tapestry of inventive disciplines, from music and dance to theatre, high-quality artwork and culinary arts. “We search for curators who should not solely extraordinarily proficient themselves but in addition have the power to work with different artists and artwork types,” notes Sunil Kant Munjal, chairman of Hero Enterprise and founder patron of SAF. This yr’s lineup options Geeta Chandran and Jayachandran Palazhy for dance, Zubin Balaporia and Bickram Ghosh for music, Quasar Thakore Padamsee and Sankar Venkateswaran for theatre, and Veerangana Solanki and Jiten Thukral-Sumir Tagra for visible arts.
In a primary, a number of tasks have additionally been chosen by way of an open name. Whereas Goa’s white sand seashores function the backdrop, there’s a deliberate effort to interact with native communities and have a good time the area’s wealthy heritage. If the mission “Sempre Fado: Antigo e Novo”, curated by Balaporia, will have a good time conventional Goan music and its intricate ties to Portuguese Fado, “Music within the Artwork Park”, curated by Gaya Tideman, will highlight performances by native and experimental musicians. The exhibition “Goa Familia: Archive of Potential (Goan) Futures”, curated by Lina Vincent and Akshay Mahajan, will delve into the non-public and collective histories of Goan households by way of a wealthy assortment of images, objects and narratives that weave collectively a layered portrait of Goa’s ever-evolving id. Assavri Kulkarni, the writer of photobook Markets of Goa, will information individuals on a journey by way of her childhood recollections, exploring seasonal greens, contemporary seafood, and spices that form the essence of Goan delicacies.
Discussions and seminars are woven into its cloth.
The Mandovi River, in the meantime, may even come alive with the strains of classical music every night as a part of the ‘River Raga’ programme, curated by Ghosh. A sundown cruise will depart each day from the Santa Monica Jetty.
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