Ronita Torcato

In a very first, The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Mumbai is participating in the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival which is arguably the largest multicultural street art festival hosted in the financial capital of India during the month of February. The college is showcasing the theme of EK-sa to promote equality, togetherness, and respect for all identities. 

This year marks the 22nd edition of this festival which will be held in Mumbai’s  Kala Ghoda Art District, Horniman Circle opposite the iconic Town Hall housing the Asiatic Library and the Cross Maidan near Metro cinema. The festival will conclude on the February 12, 2023.

Spread over nine days, it will showcase Theatre, Dance, Literature, Music, Films, Comedy and World Art. 

As many as 18 installations have been set up on the Kala Ghoda precinct while those created by NIFT can be viewed at the Cross Maidan, which showcases  half a dozen octant-shaped structures varying in height from six feet to 14 feet.  The spiral formation is reminiscent of the Tarpa drawings in a Warli painting. 

NIFT students have also created a 15-minute Performance Art around the installation.

In the installation named “The Way Ahead”, the journey of a traveller is portrayed using artisanal products created by Solapur weavers. The installation titled “Reflect” depicts how we may choose to create an environment for handicrafts to flourish. In this installation, old crafts that would otherwise be discarded or  destroyed, are refurbished into beautiful contemporary wear. Paithani sarees in vibrant colours with peacock, parrot, and lotus motifs narrate  the heritage of Maharashtra.

The installation ‘Waiting for Godot’ ( replicating the title of the Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s absurdist tragi-comedy)   interrogates the question  – Does the wait ever end, or do we need to take charge of our destiny, and stop waiting? Wall hangings from Solapur, bamboo and wooden craft from Sawantwadi and leather craft from the clusters of Kolhapur are all creatively assembled in this installation.

“The Hands with a Heart” installation utilises modern artefacts made by weavers from  Solapur and Warli artists. The installation ‘Breaking All Ceilings’ addresses self-examination and breaking free from self-inflicted limits and motions.

Energetic performances accompany the installations to further enhance NIFT’s theme.

The students presented a street play ‘Sabrang’ which argued that the facade of superiority that colour, class, and caste represent, results from antisocial standards.

The performance titled Un-Dark stressed that everything precious requires to be protected, not just material possessions, but  truth – which is a actually, the most important thing, that needs protection. 

Also Read: National Institute of Fashion Technology