A genuine artist, whether expressing themselves through an art form or in their everyday experiences, must journey through learning the significance of proportions, the nuances of harmony, the potency of silence and focus, and the intrinsic value of patience akin to a philosopher’s quest.
Special events commemorating Arts Day, on 9 June were held at New Acropolis Mumbai centre and Pune Branch, heralding the Arts as a universal mode of expression, one that is capable of transcending boundaries and fostering unity among people. This embodies Unity through Diversity, seeking to unearth timeless values that uphold human dignity.
The Arts, are integral to culture and a pillar of action for New Acropolis’s mission, represent a vital exploration for every philosopher as Carlos Adelantado, International Director of New Acropolis, explained, “Culture ennobles us.”
In Mumbai the event was organised as one-of-its-kind, collating artists from different genres spanning architecture, film, philosophy, music and dance, at the 140-year-old redesigned venue called Ice factory situated in the Ballard Estate locality.
Architect Sameep Padora, in a power point presentation, displayed his architectural projects across the country, that were deeply rooted in the philosophy of finding beauty through purpose; in simplicity, frugality, and multi-functional service to the community. It was followed by a dialogue with renowned Bollywood film director Meghna Gulzar, who spoke of creating movies not for entertainment alone, but to inspire and awaken her viewers. Through the life of Field-Marshal Sam Maneckshaw, she highlighted the spirit of truth, justice and righteousness, finding beauty through principles as showcased in her film.
Practicing philosopher, teacher, and Branch manager, New Acropolis Mumbai, Sivan Barzilay spoke of how we can all be artists by architecting and building our own lives, by living beautifully as a way of nourishing the mind and the heart.
The evening concluded with a jugalbandi of artists: a classical Carnatic singer, Chandana Bala Kalyan, Kathak exponent, Gauri Sharma Tripathi and violinist, Nastya Saraswati. Their solo performances ranged across the genres of Western and Indian Classical and Folk, but it was their finale, combining their divergent art forms into a specially created presentation, Ekatva, that exemplified the unity of the spirit of Beauty present in the diversity of all artistic expressions.
The New Acropolis Pune branch, hosted a medley of events, featuring a variety of cultural art forms, including Shakespearean theatre, Japanese Origami and Haiku poetry, as well as workshops on silent carpentry, music, and architecture. The series of events saw participation from 70 attendees through the day and concluded with a Bharatnatyam recital.
The central theme explored was Unity through Diversity, with each form enriching the audience with experiences of beauty and offering practical lessons applicable to daily life.
The Shakespearean play “Othello,” presented through experimental theatre and imagination exercises, explored the concept that both ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ lie within us, emphasizing our choice in who we want to be. The Origami exercises highlighted the importance of mindfulness, while the Haiku poetry session focused on finding beauty in simplicity. The silent carpentry workshop, conducted by Vivek Mahajan, emphasized working with the nature of materials to reduce resistance. Architect Sachin Das shared insights on how principles of rhythm, harmony, form, texture, and colors are encountered in both music and architecture. Rutuja Marne’s Bharatnatyam recital demonstrated the role of an artist as a vehicle for transmitting meaning.
These celebrations provided a glimpse into the possibility that conscious elevation towards values can naturally increase human understanding, sensitivity, and love towards each other, enriching us all despite our differences.
