I came across this female, german photographer based out of the Netherlands in 2012, in an issue of Vogue Italia. For me the photographs were extremely painterly, it is only upon reading about the artist and her technique that I learned that Gabriele Viertel shoots underwater. She likes her subjects to be layered in fabric, thus playing on the interaction of light, fabric, … Continue reading Gabriele Viertel shoots underwater.
A Wedding is at its purest a celebration of two individuals falling in love and deciding to spend their lives together, choosing one another over the rest of the 7 Billion population on Planet Earth. Its about the intangibles like family – love – support – care and nurturing, as well as the ever growing tangibles of home and hearth. These collectively … Continue reading Let me Introduce you to the Indian Baraat
Last night was filled with an intense discussion between two architects and myself about the authority of attributing value to any art-form. Though the discussion was centered around the visual arts and the complex opinions that are polarised into “art for art’s sake” on one side and the idea of “form follows function” on the other, my take-away viz. a vis 45 Days … Continue reading Hands – The Power of Two
Sticking to the Bollywood theme of yesterday and moving upwards in the body of a dancer, for 45 Days of Dance Stories, I give you the upper torso, and the woman who has made her on and off screen dancing career with the -chest-thrust – the Dhak-Dhak-Queen : Madhuri Dixit. Similar to the pelvic-thrust discussed yesterday this upper-torso movement finds resonance in traditional … Continue reading Upper Torso : The Dhak- Dhak-Queen
What is the history of the perlvic thrust? Sex. A natural movement made during coitus was co-opted by performers, rockers, musicians and Indian Film choreographers to titilate and shock audiences. Made iconic in the West by the likes of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, the pelvic thrust dance-move carries with it a wealth of sexual innuendo. Then, is it any wonder that … Continue reading Hips : The Quintessential Bollywood Pelvic Thrust
When we say dancer – the first body part that we immediately connect them to and visualise are the “Feet”. Grounding us, allowing us to leap and stretch, to pause and pirouette, the dancers feet are where our “Souls” rest! Battered and bruised, knocked and swollen, these feet are what aide us in our movement, trained to kick, flip, balance and flick they are in … Continue reading Feet – Move them like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Energy, Power, Myth, Movement and Magic, that is the Tandav-Shiva! Having explored Shiva as the all-auspicious one, today as part of the 45 Days of Dance Stories, I wish to talk of the Tandav. Originating from the Sanskrit verb “Tand”- which means “to restore balance”, this word is a symbol for Lord Shiva himself and all associated activities of destruction and regeneration connected to … Continue reading Glorifying Tandav-Shiva!
Since yesterday (the 2nd of December 2014) and the post Shiva, Shakti, Laasya, my thoughts have been pre-occupied by Lord Shiva as the Lord of Performers and Dance. Known in this avatar as Nataraja, his physical personification (as seen in the image above) can be attributed to the bronze sculptors of the Chola Dynasty in South India from 10th Century A.D. This dancing figure of … Continue reading Nataraja – The Lord of Dance
Today was a day filled with laughter joy and togetherness. Thre was a bringing together of families through the love fo two individuals as they celebrated their upcoming wedding. In preparation there was the joyous – song and dance centered Indian pre-marital event of the Mehendi. Fertility and protection, todays celebration brought to mind the coming together of the yin-and-yang, the masculine and the feminine, … Continue reading Shiva, Shakti and Laasya
When we talk of Bharatanatyam and the course of its journey from east to west there is only one women and her discipline and delight in this form of classical Indian Dance that truly complete that story, and that is none other than Balasaraswati. Born to one of the last musical families of the South of India, Bala’s historical import in the modern … Continue reading A Dance story for 29th November 2014 : Balsaraswati
D's Art Takes 