After a successful inaugural event last year, Hounslow Town Centre in London will once again be transformed as it celebrates South Asian contemporary arts as part of Bell Square 2023.
Anhad is an exciting outdoor multi-arts festival of exceptional, cutting-edge contemporary work by South Asian artists based in the UK. The festival is programmed and directed by Hounslow-based artist Mira Kaushik OBE, in partnership with Bell Square London.
The festival will bring its uniquely colourful and vibrant celebration of contemporary South Asian outdoor arts – including processions, performance, dance, music, family shows and visual arts programme. It aims to give a platform for UK South Asian creativity across all arts and the ambition is for Anhad to become the premier UK event for shining a spotlight on contemporary South Asian creativity to the wider world.
Kaushik said: “The festival promises the very best of contemporary UK-based South Asian outdoor arts performed and created by the best South Asian artists from across the country.
“Anhad in 2023 promises a passionate celebration of outdoor arts from South Asian communities across the UK and audiences will be surprised by the depth and breadth of the artistic excellence on display.”
The festival, on Saturday August 12, will start with performances in Bell Square and the square outside Holy Trinity Church, interacting with audiences along the High Street.
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Jan Lennox, Director, Watermans (Bell Square) said: “This second edition of the festival builds on the great success of last year’s inaugural event and will bring Bell Square, Church Square and the High Street to life with everything from Kathak and contemporary dance, South Asian punk music, an opera in Sanskrit and tiger sculptures.”
Artists and events include: Ancestral Voices – The Inheritance of Love with Shephali Frost Ensemble – an internationally known poet & singer; Gaṅgā by Jataneel Banerjee – a chamber opera in Sanskrit; Nadia Javed and the Sex Patels – a UK-based punk band writing and producing their original music; DJ Indian Man – east meets west; Bells, Beats and Banter by Srishti – Nina Rajarani’s new fast-paced outdoor piece for four dancers and three musicians; Mughal Miniatures: Animal Paradis by Sonia Sabri Company – a vibrant and upbeat outdoor performance event for all the family; and a mixed bill of solo and group dance performances – Sujata Banerjee Dance Company (Kathak Group Performance), Divya Ravi (Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer), Ashwini Kalsekar and Saloni Saraf (Kathak dancers and choreographers), Nandita Shankardass (Ballet dancer and teacher) Jessica (Trapeze artist).
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Visual Installations include: My Tiger Janu by Chila Kumari Singh Burman, celebrated for her radical feminist practice which examines representation, gender and cultural identity, as well as Life-Size Street Puppets.
*Info: Anhad