The Niracharthu festival at Trissur from Dec 21-25 will feature both classical and folk arts.
Ni fest 7, seventh edition of annual National art camp and Village art fest by Niracharthu Art and Cultural society, will start from today. The five-day art fest that is dedicated to art historian and author, late Vijayakumar Menon will feature various folk and classical art performances.
“Mizhavil thayampaka”, (instrument percussion) by Kalamandalam team, “Charadu kuthi kolkkali” (folk performance with sticks and threads) by women’s group from Kannur, Theatre sketches by Thrissur drama team, “Sangeetha Samanwayam” (Musical notes) by Kavalam Sajeevan and team and performances by local artists are the performance art programs planned in Ni fest 7. BFA students of Raja Ravi Varma college, Mavelikkara, will conduct a print exhibition on “Indian architecture”. A photo exhibition by Renjth Raveendran, Kannur, featuring Theyyams, is also included.
The national camp, curated by artist, S. N. Sujith, will have 20 participants including Aji VN, Anjaneyulu Gundu, P. S. Jalaja, Jyothi Basu, Leon KL, Madhav Imartey, Madhu Das, Mahula Ghosh, Parvathi Nayar, Ratheesh T, Reghunadhan K, Santhan Velayudhan, Sarika Mehta, Shahul Hameed, Sharmi Chowdhury, Shyam Sunder, Sudayadas, Sumesh Balakrishnan, Unnikrishnan C and Vinod Balak. Apart from them, many artists from nearby localities too join the camp. Niracharthu camps are structured as open avenues in the village Enkakad, a remote village in Thrissur district of Kerala which is the venue for the festival. Artists will get an opportunity to choose their place of work anywhere in and around the hamlet. Further, artists are accommodated in the houses within the village, thus providing them an opportunity to touch and feel local culture and hospitality.
On an evening function, on December 23, Malayalam literary stalwart, M. K. Sanu, would dedicate the program. Camp review by art critic, Premjish Achari, would be followed. Artist round table and open house by camp participants, led by curator S. N. Sujith, is scheduled on Dec 24. Slide show presentations by participating artists would also be part of Ni fest. These programs are planned at three different venues within the village.
