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Nilanjana Nandy’s Studio At Pepper House Is Open For Public Till August 5

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Artwork should trigger creative thought, says Delhi-based Artist Nilanjana Nandy.  A rather jarring sight stares you in the face as you step into the Pepper House Library at Fort Kochi: every book and DVD is covered in newspaper. The wrapping creates a mesmerizing visual effect

Text Credits: Shibul Pavithran 

Finding an explanation for this puzzlement can be difficult for visitors to the library, a space that hosts a large and varied collection of books and videos for public use.The person to question is Nilanjana Nandy, a Delhi-based artist and art educator, who has been creating artwork for the past two months in Pepper House as part of a residency programme organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation. Her performative intervention Cover – Uncover, as seen in the Library, is part of the body of work produced during her time in Kochi.

“An artwork should trigger creative thoughts,” observes the artist, who is an alumna of the College of Art, New Delhi and M S University, Baroda.

When Nilanjana came to Kochi for her project, she began frequenting nearby reading spaces, noticing how each ‘Vayanashala’ (public reading room) would offer a particular selection of newspapers based on political patronage, thus promoting a tailored set of ideologies within a supposedly communal space.

“That was the trigger point,” reveals the artist. “That’s how the concept of ‘library intervention’ came into my mind. I started thinking what happens if this accessibility to information and knowledge is thwarted. Here, what is happening is mere ‘imposition’. That’s how I proposed this intervention.” Until the end of her residency period, all the covers of books and the DVDs in the Pepper House library are hidden by a newspaper wrapping. Nandy believes it can push viewers to reconsider access to information and public knowledge, which they may take for granted in their daily lives.

Nilanjana says when people go to this famous library; they may know that it is intended as a study space for those interested in arts and architecture.  “An element of ‘predictability’ is always there. What happens when there’s illegibility or a barrier to that?” she asks.

Such circumstances will force some to think about what exactly is shaping their thoughts, she elaborates. “But processing happens at different levels. What comes first is one’s immediate view of that visual. However, how one experiences it might not be always visual — people come with their own baggage, and that influences how they decode what they see,” she expounds.

‘Gender imbalance’ is another prominent issue Nandy addresses through her other project Reading Rooms “When I frequented the libraries, I could hardly see women spending their time there. It’s a nice collective space for reading, a community space where everyone can come together and, surprisingly, there are no girls or women. So I used to spend some time there. People can ask if there is any big deal in it. But I believe, by inhabiting this place for about 30 to 40 minutes, I am just being ‘visible’ and there exists a power of visibility,” she says.

About the need for artwork to be politically engaged, she says there should not be any obstinacy that an artist should stick with a particular school of thought. “I understand the standpoints. But why should it put you in a quagmire that you have to be either there or here. Why can’t you be somewhere where you can say a few other things too. I want to say things based on my experiences.”

About the installation project in her Pepper House studio, Alice in a Room of One’s Own, she says “My exhibition here is a collection of the instinctive works I have created in my time here. I have not dwelled as much on the personal versus the public, it is more about the mental space. When a viewer is in the room, one may encounter a few things and may miss out on a few. Any instinctive perusal of the space is welcome and then there is a surprise encounter. It is also about how a spectator will decode, in that sense it’s a room of one’s own for everyone. There is an element of fantasy in some of the drawings, and also just memory from my walks.”

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Events

Celebrity Muses at Lakme Fashion Week 2024

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Celebrities from Bollywood create a lot of buzz every year when they appear in fashion shows as the faces of up-and-coming or established designers in the nation. Lakme Fashion Week is one such event where a large number of Bollywood designers participate. As anticipated, the LFW roster this year had a number of well-known names and was stylish as well. Numerous well-known figures, including Madhuri Dixit and Ananya Panday, sashayed down the ramp. Let’s examine a few of the most well-known figures seen this season on the ramp.

Ananya Pandey

Ananya Panday looked amazing on the catwalk as she paired an off-the-shoulder black petal dress with high-rise leather boots. Wearing a long ponytail and walking confidently, she looked stunning for designer Rahul Mishra.

Aditya Roy Kapur and Janhvi Kapoor

Walking for fashion brand Kalki, Janhvi Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur took the show on the road. Aditya Roy Kapur was spotted wearing a black sherwani with embellishments, while Janhvi Kapoor sported an off-the-shoulder silk shirt and a maroon mermaid skirt.

Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri Dixit wore a gorgeous black floral co-ord set with a stylish blazer that gave off business woman vibes for Ranna Gill. She accessorized with modest locks and maroon lips for a neutral makeup look. 

Shanaya Kapoor

On the other hand, Shanaya Kapoor was spotted walking the ramp for Anamika Khanna while sporting an oversized white shirt with embroidered details and high-rise boots.

Tripti Dimri

Tripti Dimri graced the ramp for Shantnu and Nikhil donning an exquisite floor-length silver skirt paired with a sleeveless black top, a chic belt, and a magnificent set of hand gloves. 

Tapsee Pannu

As she walked for Gauri & Nainika, Tapsee Pannu was also seen on the ramp wearing a gorgeous bodycon gown with a mermaid cut end.

Malaika Arora

Malaika Arora spun around in a gorgeous pastel lehenga adorned with golden flower embroidery while she walked the Lakme Fashion Week runway for Anushka Reddy.

Rakul Preet

Rakul Preet, the newest bride in town, was also spotted on the ramp, walking for Ritika Mirchandani while sporting a white crop top and a skirt with a high thigh slit.

Aditi Rao Hydari

In Nirmooha’s ‘Ekatra’ collection, Aditi Rao Hydari embodies royalty as she explores individualism with dark purple coordinated outfits embellished with geometric designs and a dash of shine. 

Divya Khosla

In Rajdeep Ranawat’s opulent ‘Nizam’ collection, which is made of silk and features vintage accents, Divya Khosla looks stunning. The collection is inspired by the grandeur of Lucknow and the royal jewels of Hyderabad.  

Sara Ali Khan

Varun Chakkilam’s ‘Lenora’ collection, which combines modern style with Hyderabadi cultural aspects in pearl grey embroidered lehengas, features Sara Ali Khan flashing burn marks.

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Lakme Fashion Week Day 2 Highlights

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From March 13 to 17, Lakme Fashion Week was held at the famous Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, which is situated in the center of the Bandra Kurla Complex. Lakme Fashion Week 2024 covered every genre, with an insightful and diverse list of designers showcasing their work. Collections included haute couture, street style, country wear, gothic vampire inspired, 1800s cowboy tribes, Indian bridal, Venetian tea party, and Victorian gowns. It’s time to break down some of the major SS’24 fashion trends as fashion week just ended. Sustainable Fashion Day, held on Day 2 of Lakme Fashion Week in collaboration with FDCI, featured some incredibly stunning runway looks. 

Til, Yavi, and Inca’s Collection

With their current collection, Inca, Til, and Yavi showcased sustainable design with clothing that promised both unparalleled comfort and glamour. In her role as Inca India’s show stopper, actor Dia Mirza dominated the show. Wearing an opulent all-black suit from their “Love is a Verb” collection, Mirza strutted down the runway. The collection complemented the concept of the event and was influenced by traditional artisan skills and repurposed materials.

Gaurang Shah’s Designs in Pink Hues

Gaurang’s “Gulaal” Lakme Fashion Week Spring/Festive collection. Lehengas and sarees with long-forgotten embroidery, such as Mochi, Parsi Gada, Petite Point, Kasuti, Phulkari, Kutch, and Kashmiri, were featured in the collection in the adaptable color pink.

Tea Cultures of the World x Chola 

With a focus on inclusivity and authenticity, Chola by Sohaya Misra and Tea Culture of the World honoured the merging of fashion and tea culture, embodying confidence, individualism, and empowerment. The collection’s runway was lit up by actresses Neha Dhupia and Konkona Sensharma’s stunning walks in black and white costumes.

U’Core by Urvashi Kaur

In Urvashi Kaur’s U’Core, contrasting selvedges were prominently featured. Her mother, Anupama Singh, along with notable models like Ratna Pathak Shah, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal, Mallika Dua, Faraz Ansani, Shweta Tripathi, and Santanu Hazarika, showcased the collection’s artistry through stitch line details and hand block printing.

R|Elan X JJV Kapurthala

On Day 2 of Sustainable Fashion Day at Lakme Fashion Week, style and sustainability were guaranteed by the R|Elan X JJV Kapurthala collection. JJV incorporates ethical practices into its design philosophy in a seamless manner, improving garment performance and decreasing textile waste.

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Sparkling Day 1 : Lakme Fashion Week

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With the much awaited Lakme Fashion Week held in the nation’s capital in association with the FDCI, fashion week is officially underway. Every year, people in the apparel business and fashion aficionados alike look forward to this event.

For almost 25 years, Lakme Fashion Week has been creating legendary displays, and there are no plans to stop. The first day of the five-day event featured a star-studded lineup at the runways, including Jim Sarbh, Hina Khan, and Alaya F in addition to Kalki Koechlin.

The Ramp Walk of Karishma Tanna

Karishma Tanna stunned on the catwalk with her stunning INIFD Launchpad ensemble. The “Scoop” actress turned heads with her gorgeous all-black Yashi Gada costume.

“A Periwinkle Wednesday” Collection by SWGT

The most intriguing collection from SWGT is undoubtedly “A Periwinkle Wednesday,” which takes its cues from the designer’s first iteration of love. The compilation honors love in all its tender, humorous, poetic, entrancing, and even frivolous forms.

Launch of a Magazine

The 2024–25 Fashion X Beauty Lakmē Fashion Week Trend Edition, designed by Peclers Paris, was also unveiled on the first day. The trend journal offered a preview of what to expect from the next fashion season via the eyes of multi-cultural trend forecasters.

The “Sun and Moon” Collection by Archana Rao

The “Sun and Moon” collection by Archana Rao was incredibly fascinating since it celebrates the natural harmony between the sun and moon while simultaneously emphasizing their striking contrasts.

The Most Recent Collection of Rajesh Pratap

The collection by La Martina X Rajesh Pratap Singh pays homage to the close relationship between Polo and Jaipur. The designs successfully highlighted the city’s rich cultural heritage and close connections to the game.

Samant Chauhan’s Collection of Ice Watches

Designer Samant Chauhan’s “Ice Watch” showcased superb craftsmanship and creative use of embroidery and shapes. Whites and blues, layers and ruffles, and a tonne of volume made up the mood board. Jim Sarbh, an actor, walked for Chauhan wearing all-white clothing.

A cocktail collection by Geisha Designs

Paras and Shalini, the designer team at Geisha Designs, served up cocktail and evening wear for men and women for the first time that day. Alaya F, a teenage actress who was observed wearing a lavishly embroidered pant and bustier combo, was chosen as their show stopper. 

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