Rasa Festival | Ritual Floor Paintings from India

When

Thursday September 12, 2019: 7:00pm to 8:30pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: Secret Lab

Description

What are the stories, traditions, and meanings behind the art of ritual floor painting? This interactive talk by Renu Malhotra and Meena Khashnabish will explore the various kinds of ritual floor paintings from India, such as mandalas, alpana, and rangoli, which use natural materials such as rice, flowers, and vegetable paints to create beautiful (but temporary) images.

A live demonstration of floor painting with artist Renu Malhotra and Meena Khasnabis will take place immediately following the talk with a hands-on opportunity for attendees to try floor painting for themselves. 

This event is held in partnership with the Rasa Festival, an innovative India-themed multi-arts festival, produced by Akshara. The Rasa Festival is held annually in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti in September and is designed to promote a deeper awareness and appreciation for the effulgent richness and abundance of cultural heritage that stems from India. It is multi-arts and multi-disciplinary, presenting traditional as well as cutting edge work in performing, visual, literary, media/films, and culinary arts, in partnership with prominent Ann Arbor arts organizations.

Participating artists in the festival are local, national, and international Indo-American artists, artists from India as well as those who are highly inspired by Indian culture. It is a collaborative initiative, working through partnerships with key local organizations such as the Washtenaw Community College, Kerrytown Concert House, the Riverside Arts Center, and Literati Bookstore.