Events of the week

Signature style

What: With his singular and unwavering style, Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu (1903-1963) disregarded the established rules of cinema and created a visual language all his own. India International Centre brings to you his films – ‘Yasujiro Ozu: Noriko Trilogy’.  Precise compositions, contemplative pacing, low camera angles, and elliptical storytelling are just some of the signature techniques the great filmmaker used to evoke a sense of melancholy and poetry in everyday existence. The three films that Ozu made between 1949 and 1953 constitute his most enduring achievement. Dubbed the “Noriko Trilogy” after the name of the female protagonist in all three films, the films (Late Spring, Early Summer, Tokyo Story) co-star the two most familiar members of Ozu’s long standing stock company: Chishu Ryu (1904–1993), the director’s favourite actor; and Setsuko Hara (1920–2015), who plays Noriko in all three parts of the trilogy.

Where: Website of India International Centre

Grief on canvas

What: ‘Confluence’ presents 25 paintings/collages created by Purvai Rai through the past year of the pandemic. For the 26-year-old artist, the last year marked a period of grief and anxiety; as the pandemic ripped through the city sparing none, her constant nightmare was – what if she carried the infection with her within the safety of her home where her parents lived? The works reflect upon the day-to-day life around her as much as the abstract encounters that haunt her, evoking the memories of tragedies she has witnessed through news reports and photographs. Confluence is divided into five groups, titled ‘Anatomize’, ‘Threshold’, ‘Reclamation’, ‘Coalesce’ and ‘Final Dispositions’, each containing five art works. In black and white, the works are starkly beautiful and delicately layered, reminding one of floating feathers, and sometimes of debris washed up on ocean beds.

Where: Website of Gallery Espace

Timeless melodies

What: For all music lovers, Alliance Française de Delhi presents ‘Queens of Melody’, a live virtual concert featuring French singer Eléonore Fourniau, on the vocals and hurdy-gurdy, and Indian violinist Nandani Shankar, accompanied by Abhishek Mishra on the tabla. Immerse yourselves in the timeless melodies of the vast lands of Kurdistan and India.

Where: Alliance Française de Delhi Facebook and YouTube handles