Weekly planner: 5 events you wouldn’t want to miss

Paintings of hope

Sakshi Gallery is showing recent works by artist Alok Bal in the show Inscribed Landscapes. The images on display seem poetic and lyrical, and yet there is a simmering frustration underlying them. The works refer to ecological disasters, displacement of indigenous people and violence during insurgencies. “But there is also a celebration of strength and resilience. The people protesting and portrayed are not individuals. They are more members of a community, sharing bonds, beliefs…,” writes artist Vasudevan Akkitham about Bal’s paintings. The figurative works, then, also become witness to the communities’ challenges, and stand in solidarity with them. At Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, till 7 November, 11am-6pm.

Kinetic forms

Tender Forces showcases the sculptural practice of India-born and US-based architect Tarik Currimbhoy. The works on display mirror Currimbhoy’s architectural practice, in which he looks for tactility and purity of form and material. “Tarik Currimbhoy captures this dance and dynamism of nature, into mobile solids and geometric subtleties. The smooth materiality of his sculptures, or forms melting in their reflective surfaces, jostling between materiality and immaterialities, is the ‘task of the translator’... the artist, the sculptor…,” writes architect-researcher Kaiwan Mehta. At Akara Contemporary, Mumbai, till 16 November, 11am6.30pm (Tuesday-Saturday)

The unseen Souza

Dhoomimal Art Centre is hosting an exhibition in celebration of F.N. Souza’s centenary. Titled Celebrating F.N.Souza - His Philosophy, His Life, and His Enduring Influence on Art, the exhibition features a rare collection of Souza’s works from the 1950s to the 1980s, including some that have not been exhibited before. The artworks come from the personal collection of Mahender Jain and Sushma Jain, emphasising Souza's standing association with the Dhoomimal Art Centre. A limited edition book on the collection will be launched. At Dhoomimal Art Centre, Connaught Place, 8-27 October. 11am-7pm (Sundays and holidays closed), www.dhoomimalartcentre.com. 

Also read: Krishen Khanna:Last modernist standing

Stories of women

Contemporary art gallery Exhibit320 is currently hosting Unseen Shadows, an exhibition featuring the works of visual artists Richa Arya and Deena Pindoria. Using industrial detritus like metal sheets and wood, Arya’s work draws upon her experiences growing up in rural Haryana to depict the struggles and resilience of women. Pindoria’s Purdah Series (2024), on the other hand, focuses on the complex experiences of women living under the purdah system. The exhibition has been curated by Lekha Poddar. At Exhibit320, Lado Sarai, New Delhi, 5 October - 4 November, 10.30am-6.30pm, (Sunday with appointment). For details, visit www.exhibit320.com.

Clowning glory

This year marks the 10th year anniversary of the International Clown Festival. To celebrate the milestone, the festival will have 25 award-winning clowns from 10 countries getting together to present a 100-minute theatre show that will include comedy, juggling, acrobats, circus acts, magic and music. The event will also honour 10 female clowns who have contributed to the art form. The festival will travel to 11 cities including Ahmedabad, Goa, Pondicherry, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. At Science City Auditorium, Dhapa, Kolkata, 18-20 October, daily shows at 11am, 3pm and 7pm. Tickets on Bookmyshow. 

Also read: ‘Histories in the making’: Photo that hide as much as they reveal