The Mask – a Sacro-Magical Art Form
Author: Agostino DominiciJanuary 13, 2016
The making and use of masks dates back several millennia. It is one of the most ancient and widespread art forms - one which has captured the imagination of countless people around the world. On a recent visit to Portobello Market in London, I found myself confronted by a remarkable display of antique Balinese masks. I felt that these fascinating and mysterious artefacts had so much to reveal to [...]
The Philosophical Beauty of Chinese Calligraphy
Author: Jim PangOctober 31, 2015
The word "calligraphy" is derived from a Greek word meaning beautiful writing. And in the East Chinese calligraphy (書法 – Shufa) is valued as "high art". Throughout the history of China, leaders, scholars and people from all walks of life have practised calligraphy. Calligraphy and Tao The essence of calligraphy is to express the innermost beauty of one's soul and spirit. Tao is the [...]
Architecting the Invisible
Author: Kurush DordiOctober 24, 2015
When architects design a building in our times, they share the plan of a proposed building and get the client to approve its design, based on which the building is then taken up for construction. But how do you design a building when your client is divine, or in the invisible? In spite of magnificent palaces, beautiful gardens, and colossal libraries from the ancient world, sacred sites have [...]
A Classical Voyage: Music and Life
Author: Shraddha ShettyOctober 13, 2015
“Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in the mirror. But you are the eternity, and you are the mirror.” - Kahlil Gibran The sunrise, or sunset of course, doesn't care if we watch it or not. It will keep on being beautiful, whether we look at it, recognize it, or not. It follows that there exists in this world an eternal objective principle which we call Beauty, independent of us. Sometimes [...]
Custodians of Culture: In Conversation with Padmashri Shekhar Sen
Author: Harianto MehtaJuly 27, 2015
Padmashri Shekhar Sen performs at New Acropolis (Mumbai Centre), Feb' 2014 Padmashri Shekhar Sen, accomplished actor, singer, lyricist, and music director, is perhaps most celebrated for his unique mono-act theatrical renditions, through which he brings to life master poet-philosophers Tulisdas, Kabir, Surdas, and Vivekananda. Last February, New Acropolis (Mumbai) had the privilege to host an [...]
Let’s Listen Then In Conversation with Shabnam Virmani
Author: Manjula NanavatiJuly 19, 2015
In satsang with Mooralala Marwada during the Malwa Kabir Yatra, 2010 in Lunyakhedi village Shabnam Virmani is the founder of the Kabir Project, which consists of a series of ongoing journeys inquiring into the spiritual, cultural, and socio-political resonances of the 15th century mystic and poet Kabir. Housed at the Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Bengaluru), the Kabir [...]
Biomimicry: Human Creation Inspired By Nature
Author: Flora Bittencourt DetanicoMay 18, 2015
Leonardo Design for a Flying Machine, c. 1488 “Those who side with any flag other than nature – the master of all masters – labour in vain.” - Da Vinci “The genius of man may make various inventions, encompassing with various instruments one and the same end; but it will never discover a more beautiful, more economical, or a more direct one than [...]
Thebes – Book Review
Author: Manjula NanavatiMay 2, 2015
THEBES, BY Prof. Jorge (giorgio) Angel Livraga Rizzi Perhaps no other civilization captures the imagination of intellectuals and dilettantes alike, as does Ancient Egypt. Arguably one of the earliest, longest lasting and most influential civilizations of history, it is recognized for its stupendous artistic, scientific, social, and spiritual achievements. In this slim volume Livraga gives us a [...]
Images of Enlightenment – The Buddhist Mandala
Author: Agostino DominiciFebruary 1, 2015
Mandala of Amitayus, Tibet, 19th century, Rubin Museum of Art . Because many colourful collections of mandalas are easily accessible nowadays in public art museums as well as in digital art galleries, it is easy to fall into common misconceptions. These peculiar ‘objects’, which can easily be mistaken for some kind of ‘art- form’, are actually among the finest remnants of the [...]
Rumi: The Mystic
Author: Bhavna RoyJanuary 30, 2015
Eight centuries ago a culture of mystical Islam suffused the lands extending from modern day Turkey (Anatolia) to modern day Afghanistan and Iran (Khorasan); it was called Sufi Islam. Etymologically, the word ‘Sufi’ is derived from the Arabic word safa, meaning purity. Mystics of the order created a path towards attaining self-knowledge and god-realisation in their desire to reunite [...]
Design of Thought & Movement
Author: Manjula NanavatiJanuary 29, 2015
An interview with Miti Desai. First publish in THE ACROPOLITAN Magazine (TA) Miti Desai is the founder and creative head of Miti Design Lab. A designer and classical dancer, Miti teaches as a visiting faculty at the Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology (Bengaluru, India) and at Sophia Polytechnic (Mumbai), and has personally created and executed courses initiating children into [...]
Shakespeare: heaven and hell within us
Author: Zahi GlickJanuary 28, 2015
When we speak about Shakespeare we can refer to him as the Philosopher-Artist. An artist who succeeds, in his work, in investigating the depth of the human existence and his relationship with the gods and the universe. Shakespeare, a wizard of words, is a symbol of an artist whose work lives forever because it touches the heart of the human experience and asks questions that are and will always [...]