‘Abhivyakti – The City Arts Project’ is an initiative of the UNM Foundation of the Mehta family and the Torrent Group. It seeks to showcase different art forms by emerging artists enabling audiences to access art by keeping entry free.
After successfully completing five editions in Ahmedabad, two in Vadodara and one in Surat, Abhivyakti organised its first performance in Rajkot on March 22 and 23. The two-day festival included some of the most sought-after performances in dance, theatre and music.
The performances on the first day, included a Contemporary dance and Mohiniyattam performance titled “There Comes Papa” by Dhara Rughani and Unnati Ajmer. The other attraction of the day was “Rang Rang Sundari” by Rupin Shah, a musical odyssey of Jaishankar Sundari, a prominent figure in Gujarati theatre.
On the second day, a dance performance “Garvo Girnar” by Jignesh Surani and a musical performance “Kabir Tatva” by Ravi-Rajan were organised. The “Garvo Girnar” performance showcased the stories of various peaks of the mountain, which has great religious significance, through the medium of Bharatanatyam and the folk dances of Gujarat. Kabir was in the spotlight in a Sufi music and fusion performance by the artist duo Ravi Maru and Rajan Panchal.
Since its launch in Ahmedabad in 2018, this one-of-its-kind arts project has witnessed participation from over 330 artists from across India. Over the years, Abhivykati has gained in scale with more than 2.6 lakh people attending the performances.
The performances of the Rajkot edition of Abhivyakti were mentored by celebrated names in the art fraternity – Daksha Sheth (dance), Rajat Dholakia (music) and Saumya Joshi (theatre).
