The Serendipity Arts Festival is set to return to Panaji, Goa, from December 15th to 22nd, 2024, for its ninth edition, offering a truly exceptional cultural experience that spans a wide range of artistic disciplines. Founded by Sunil Kant Munjal, the festival has become one of South Asia’s largest and most highly anticipated arts events, providing a dynamic platform for innovation, interdisciplinary practices, and cultural exchange.
Organised by the Serendipity Arts Foundation, a key initiative dedicated to nurturing and promoting the arts, the festival continues to unite artists, curators, and audiences in a collective celebration of creativity. This year, a distinguished group of curators will bring their expertise to over 200 projects across more than 22 venues, ensuring a vibrant and diverse showcase that highlights the breadth of artistic expression. Here are five programmes from each category that we are excited to attend:
Dance: Aqeedat, Love’s Union in the Divine
Aqeedat, Love’s Union in the Divine tells the timeless love story of Sohni and Mahiwal through the classical dance form of Kathak, set against a backdrop of Hindustani classical music. The performance, centred on divine love, brings together rich aesthetics, traditional Punjabi folklore, and live music for an immersive storytelling experience.
Music: One World
This concert, curated by Zubin Balaporia, brings together legendary rockers Lou Majaw, Warren Mendonsa, and Pratika Gopinath to deliver a message of unity through music. With a mix of rock, folk, and Indian classical elements, One World emphasises the power of music to transcend cultural divides.
Culinary Arts: MOCK WILD Picnic
The MOCK WILD Picnic Series uses artificial intelligence to prototype hybrid landscapes and cuisines by grafting together complementary—but differently optimised—farming typologies. For this edition, The Center for Genomic Gastronomy will serve recipes and tasters that combine food forest ingredients with non-animal products that are high in protein and/or fat. Food Forests make room for wild species in the form of crops and habitat, however, cooking a nutritionally complete meal often requires incorporating non-food forest ingredients.
To assist in recipe generation, they will use an AI-assisted thinking and tinkering tool for MINIMIZING the use of animal-derived products and MAXIMIZING the use of ingredients from regenerative agroecosystems. What does it taste like to minimize ecological harm and maximize benefits for wild species? Do high-tech, hyper-efficient fats and proteins pair well with regenerative micro seasonal ingredients in the kitchen?
Theatre: Do You Know This Song?
A performance by Mallika Taneja, Do You Know This Song? blends live music and storytelling to explore themes of memory and identity. The interactive performance invites audiences to participate in shaping the narrative, creating a dynamic and evolving theatrical experience.
Craft: Abundance in Scarcity: Exploring Ladakh's Sustainable Ingenuity
This exhibition showcases the resourceful craftsmanship of Ladakh's artisans, who use limited resources to create sustainable designs. Curated by Sandeep Sangaru, it highlights the region's ingenuity in architecture, textiles, and everyday crafts
Accessibility: Blind Date with Friends
A three-day festival project designed to foster connections and shared experiences between individuals. The initiative pairs a neurodiverse participant (someone with vision impairment) with a neurotypical attendee, creating opportunities for both groups to enjoy a curated selection of programming together. This unique pairing aims to promote mutual understanding and enrich the festival experience for all involved.
Performance Art: Around the Corner in Goa
This special project is the third in a series of dance films inspired by urban landscapes. Shot across the streets of Goa, it captures the spontaneous and choreographed movements of two protagonists as they interact with the city’s architecture and people. The project uses split-screen techniques to create a sense of navigating multiple street corners, blending abstract narrative with real-time urban dynamics, and inviting the local community to observe or participate. This is only one of a series of special performance art projects showcased at SAF this year.
Stand-Up Comedy: Comedy Wagon
Curated by Comedy Wagon, this event features a series of performances by well-known comedians, including Urooj Asfaq, Biswa Kalyan Rath, and Shreeja Chaturvedi. The evening promises a mix of witty humour and cultural commentary, exploring contemporary social themes through comedy. The event will also include a solo show, creating a lively and engaging environment at the Kala Academy.
AI Art: Art x Machine
This curated exhibition showcases groundbreaking works from 5 Indian AI artists, exploring the intersection of art and technology. The exhibition features AI-generated artworks, including paintings, digital installations, and interactive pieces that challenge traditional artistic perceptions. This project highlights India's position at the forefront of AI innovation, demonstrating how technology serves as a catalyst for creative expression and exploring the evolving relationship between human creativity and machine learning.
Art Exhibition: Bhupen In Goa
This comprehensive exhibition, curated by Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, showcases over 300 works by the renowned artist Bhupen Khakhar, including paintings, drawings, ceramic plates, and sculptures. The exhibition is complemented by archival materials like posters and photographs, offering a deep dive into the life and legacy of Khakhar, whose work is known for its bold explorations of social issues and personal narratives.
Words Platform Desk
Date 28.11.2024
