Colour of spring

Young violinist Tarun Chakraborty’s neat delineation of raga Vasant was the high point of Academy of Indian Art and Music’s conference at Uttam Mancha (March 28). This Maihar scion captured the colour and cadence of spring in an engrossing 20-minute alaap laced with a high-level technical precision. Switching to the rhythmic segment, Chakraborty unmasked the devotional contour of raga Kafi. Certainly a talent to watch. Vocalist Sugata Marjit staved off an inconsistent start to present a relaxed rendition of the evening raga Yaman. Towards the end of the bada kheyal, Ab man mera bandho, he displayed expertise in the bol-alaap section in good measure, producing notes full of vibrato, reiterating his debt to the Kirana gayaki. It was introspective stuff.

Anshuman Bhowmick

Contrasting emotions

Madhumita Paul is gifted with an attractive demeanour, eminently suited to the graceful Bharatanatyam. On March 27, Paul, along with some students of her institution Shilpangan, showcased a few items of this classical form. The inaugural one, Shanti Chai, voicing a protest against war was made attractive with deft choreography and innovative costume. The second phase of the day’s programme, Paul’s solo recitals, had Alarippu followed by Varnam. The second item, set in raga Kalyani, eulogised Lord Krishna. The contrasting emotions that her face delineated demonstrated her virtuosity in abhinaya. Though the dance composition with the Nazrulgeeti Elo oi bonante lacked appeal, in Tillana her body swayed and twisted with power and control.

Sulagna Mukhopadhyay

Layers of abstraction

Ashavari and Abhyuday Kahitan, dedicated to purging cinema of every trace of narrative, have ranged the visuals in their fluid state of immersion in light, to that of water, and next to nature and, finally, to their existence in human and animal forms at various levels of abstraction. Their exhibition at Akar Prakar (P-238 Hindusthan Park) comprised images, some of them illustrative, and others distorted in various degrees. Most of the images are camera snapshots, showing them in a state of flux and their potential for merging with the painted mountboards as well as becoming parts of the outer frames. An accompanying short film, made by the young couple, gives an idea of what they mean by pure cinema, an object of art which is not supposed to say anything but only to be responded to by the viewer instantaneously.

Samir Dasgupta