Singapore artists hold 12-day Indian art festival

Nearly 100 local artists are staging various art forms, including Carnatic and Hindustani Music, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, and Odissi, at an art festival being organised by the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS). "The Festival of Arts 2023 showcases how artists can experiment, push borders and expand horizons and yet be entertaining, pure and soulful," said Puneet Pushkarna, Chairman of performances and external relations at SIFAS.

"Although steeped in traditional art forms, SIFAS aims to be relevant to the younger generation by finding ways to incorporate different ideas to enhance and uplift their productions," Pushkarna said.

Featuring independent artists from Singapore, SIFAS teachers, alumni and students, in a 20-piece ensemble unifying instruments of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities called "Kathambam", presents a multi-genre and multi-ethnic musical concert.

Themed "Kalpana - Exploring the Past, Imagining the Future", the festival celebrates its illustrious legacy of being the pioneer of Indian Classical Arts in Singapore and its dedicated mission of nurturing young talent by striving to create works that bring new life to the stage for the last 73 years.

On Sunday (April 23), the artists will perform at the Esplanade Concert Hall, the city state's top art performing stage.

The concert will feature melodies inspired by ancient poetry, Indian classical and folk music, western elements, and various languages.

This year, the artists have stepped out of their comfort zones to reimagine the cultural arts landscape, he highlighted.

After two long years because of the Covid-19 restrictions, the festival is back and is being held from Thursday (April 20) to the following Monday (May 1).

SIFAS has always been an established platform for local artists, giving wings to their artistic dreams, said Pushkarna.

The 12-day festival is a celebration of local talent with over 30 events at the SIFAS auditorium.

There is also an exhibition showcasing budding visual artists during the entire Festival.

"SIFAS attempts to bring a new element every year in its annual festival," added Pushkarna.

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