That’s a shame because Mr. Kapoor, in the persona of his Chaplinesque tramp, was a major populist figure in Hindi cinema. Trading on that populist theme, the installation invites viewers not just to watch clips from Mr. Kapoor’s canon but to Photoshop their own faces directly into his film world. He was us, and now we are him. – Rick Groen

Luminato 2011: Our critics’ picks

Unique art installation pays homage to Bollywood great Raj Kapoor - GUY DIXON

The backlit Indian idol has tilted her head, her lips gently parted. Her lover holds her cheek, a prelude to a kiss.

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On display since June 10, Srinivas Krishna’s public participatory installation, My Name Is Raj, concludes its popular run on Sunday August 16th, 6:00 pm. Location: Reitman Square 350 King Street West at John Street, Toronto.

Indo-American Arts Council presents The “Suitcase Edition” of Srinivas Krishna’s installation “When The Gods Came Down To Earth“ as part of the 8th ANNUAL ERASING BORDERS 2011: Exhibition of Contemporary Indian Art of the Diaspora

Aicon Gallery, 35 Great Jones St, NYC
Exhibition dates: August 16-September 3, 2011
Opening Reception: August 18th, 6:30-8:30 pm.

http://www.iaac.us/erasing​_borders_2011/

Curated by Vijay Kumar
IAAC Director of Exhibitions Tanu Jindal

Erasing Borders is a richly provocative exhibition by artists of the Indian diaspora who confront issues of sexuality, terror, disease, the environment, racial and sectarian politics in painting, prints, installations, video, and sculpture. With great technical mastery and diversity of theme and style, these works combine traditional Indian aesthetics with Western elements, and speak to the powerful experience of personal and cultural dislocation in the global village. In its eighth year, Erasing Borders is curated by Vijay Kumar and produced by the Indo-American Arts Council. Free and open to the public.

For more info, artist bios / statements, and sample works visit:
http://www.iaac.us/erasing​_borders2011

ARTISTS:
Fasihu Ahsan, Mohammed Bari, Samanta Batra Mehta, Fareen Butt, Amita Chatterjee, Sonia Chaudhary, Nandini Chirimar, Neil Chowdhury, Uday K Dhar, Reet Das, Delna Dastur, Anjali Deshmukh, Anujan Ezhikode, Aaliyah Gupta, Mansoora Hassan, Mumtaz Hussain, Tehniyet Hussain, Samina Iqbal, Nidhi Jalan, Sunita Jariwala-Gajjar, Reeta Gidwani – Karmarkar, Kulvinder Kaur Dhew, Aamir Khan Tarin , Srinivas Krishna, Shaurya Kumar, Shobha Menon, Rahul Mitra, Indrani Nayar-Gall, Kuzana Ogg, Avani Patel, Minna Philips, Antonio Puri, Talha Rathore, Rasika Reddy, Sangeeta Reddy, Pinku Roy-Bari, Tara Sabharwal, Satyakam Saha, Pallavi Sharma, Sara Suleman, Roshani Thakore, MD Tokon, Prince Varghese Thomas

VENUES:

March 19 – April 10
Queens Museum of Art, NY
http://www.queensmuseum.or​g/

April 25 – May 27
Wang Center, Stony Brook University, NY
http://www.stonybrook.edu/​commcms/wang/programs/exhi​bitions.html

August 16 – September 3
Aicon Gallery, NY
http://www.aicongallery.co​m/

September 19 – December 9
Jorgensen Gallery, CT
http://jorgensen.uconn.edu​/about/gallery.php

This series is a survey of contemporary global music, the music of people who have been transported, transplanted or who have otherwise moved to the modern metropolis. Even as their identities are being transformed, so is their music — the sounds, the instruments, the musical form, as well as the performers, the performance context, and their audience. Artists today are challenging their traditions and stepping beyond their boundaries. Let The Music Speak explores this transformation of global music from the traditional to the modern, from the spiritual to the secular, from folk ritual to popular art and entertainment.
Three aboriginal musical groups are among the 13 brought together from across Canada for a showcase performance in front of an international audience.

Harmony Waussay Rice-Menominee is your host for this series of rare performances in Montreal.

See the show on APTN

Original footage of the bands was shot at the Exposed Roots Showcase Concert produced by the Canada Council in November 2003 in Montreal

Produced By Bajaj Krishna Ltd.

In association with

And with the participation of The Canadian Television Fund, created by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Cable Industry.

Based on a concept originally developed in association with

A cross-platform series of 10 x 2:00 minute short films bringing together the brightest directors, actors, musicians, cinematographers, designers, animators, and choreographers with world class athletes to celebrate the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Winner Best Drama/Fiction at the European Video and Mobile TV Forum, Paris, January 27, 2010.
Nominated Best Branded Entertainment, Banff International Television Festival, June 2010.

Co-produced with Crowsnest Films in association with Bravo!Fact for Bravo! and CTV. Produced by Srinivas Krishna and John Kerr, Executive Producer Judy Gladstone.

Some of the talent signed on to the project include: Douglas Coupland (Writer); Jennifer Jones (Curling); Jason Priestley (Director); Gordon Downie (Composer); Jan Hudec (Alpine Ski Racing); Warren Shouldice (Freestyle Aerials); Katie Willis (Ski Jump); Sara Reid (Skeleton); Jay Malinowski (Composer); John Kerr (Director); DJ Deadmau5 (Composer); Myriam Bouchard (Director); Cam Christensen (Director/Animator); Megan Imrie (Biathlon); Rosanna Crawford (Biathlon); Srinivas Krishna (Director); Nicole Mion (Director); Clarence Ford (Director/Choreographer); Michael Maxxis (Director); Regan Lauscher (Luge); Heather Moyse (Bobsleigh); Michelle Kelly (Skeleton); Mark Adam (Director); Josh Dueck (Paralympic Ski Racing); Murray Siple (Director); and Elizabeth Manley (Figure Skating).

A one hour television program with an eleventh short film “In The Groove” premiered nationally on CTV on Saturday, February 6th, 2010.

Athletes In Motion can also be viewed on demand at www.CTVOlympics.ca, accompanied by bonus elements including bios, photos, and daily captioned snapshots inspired by winter sports and the Olympic Games, sent in by commentators from across Canada.

• See the full one hour show at BravoFact!
• See the individual short films

The Films

Just Beat It

Jason Priestley directs downhill skier Jan Hudec in a drum performance that tells the poignant story of a grueling and determined recovery from serious injury.

In this animated short film, filmmakers Cam Christensen and Nicole Mion explore the question, “How does it feel to fly?”, capturing the remarkable world of 18-year-old Calgary ski jumper Katie Willis, known for her fight against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the right for women to compete at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

Starring Rosanna Crawford and Megan Imrie, a new track from Bedouin Soundclash frontman Jay Malinowski underscores the fictional pre-history of biathlon as seen by Edmonton filmmaker Michael Maxxis.

Small town Tuesday night Ladies’ League curling couldn’t be more humdrum until iconic writer Douglas Coupland offers an accidental glimpse into the strangely beguiling daydream of local skip Jen, played by World Champion Curler Jennifer Jones. Directed by John Kerr, various touchstones of our shared experience are thrown down the ice to the idiosyncratic rhythms of Gordon Downie in a wry and blissful celebration of nothing less than what it is to be Canadian.

These are the words that run through the mind of Freestyle Aerialist Warren Shouldice as he prepares to jump. These words also form the core of filmmaker Srinivas Krishna’s cinematic meditation about a young boy’s dreams of flight.

Drills become choreography through the lensing of filmmaker Mark Adam, as players from the Nepean Minor Hockey Association skate to the familiar notes of The Hockey Theme.

Directed by Clarence Ford, this film is the template for all of the Athletes In Motion short films. It is a combination of hockey, dance, figure skating and rock/funk set in an outdoor ice rink and featuring four-time World and Canadian National Champion figure skater and choreographer Kurt Browning.

World Junior Champion Skeleton slider Sarah Reid joins forces with prolific dancer, choreographer, teacher, and film director Clarence Ford to create a fusion of street and hip hop choreography with the movements of skeleton to tell the story of a young choreographer preparing and rehearsing a dance routine for an upcoming production.

The mountains emerge in all their majesty and paralympic ski racer Josh Dueck in all his humanity in this beautiful montage by filmmaker Murray Siple.

Filmmaker Myriam Bouchard explores with figure skater Elizabeth Manley the frozen moment before a public performance. Figures is about a solo act, an athlete trying to turn back time, to find footing, to catch her breath, to reclaim her identity and face destiny head first.

In this film from Clarence Ford featuring the beats of DJ Deadmau5 and Dr. Draw on electric violin, couture meets champions on the runway of a fashion show where the designs of Paul Hardy are modeled by national Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton sliders Heather Moyse, Regan Lauscher, and Michelle Kelly.

This innovative single-camera scripted comedy takes us behind the scenes of a fictional lifestyle show called Smart Woman, where we follow the crazed team of women who produce the show and who must consistently find ways to survive the daily indignities doled out by their diva boss.

Executive Producer Al Magee, Magee TV

www.smartwomansurvivalguide.com

The Trailer

Synopsis

Acclaimed feature director Srinivas Krishna follows the riveting journey of a poor Indian family
after their son, whose facial deformity makes him resemble the elephant-headed god Ganesh,
becomes a media sensation.

GANESH, BOY WONDER captures the remarkable story of Krishna and Jayamma, a working
class Indian couple who prayed to the god Ganesh to bless them with a boy, never dreaming
that their son would actually look like his namesake, the elephant-headed deity. Years after
giving up all hope of finding medical help, an accidental meeting with a reporter’s brother leads
to a national television story on Ganesh’s facial deformity. The resulting media sensation draws
the interest of India’s rich and powerful, and a Canadian plastic surgeon, Dr. Sanjeev Kaila, who
changes their lives forever. Acclaimed feature filmmaker Srinivas Krishna (Masala, Lulu) makes
his documentary debut with this powerful and moving story about love, faith and hope.

Credits

Produced by Alfons Adetuyi.
Executive producers, Amos Adetuyi, Alfons Adetuyi.
Co-producers, Stephen J. Turnbull, Srinivas Krishna.
Production (India) Vipul Kulkarni
Camera (Technicolor, HD), Milan Podsedly, John Victor
Editor, Lisa di Michele
Music, Ravi Naimpally.
Directed and written by Srinivas Krishna.

Featuring Krishna Yadav, Jayamma Yadav, Ganesh Yadav, Sneha Yadav, Sweetie Yadav,
Sanjeev Kaila, Rambabu Manepalli.

Festivals

Official Selection Hot Docs, Toronto, 2009
Official Selection – Montreal World Film Festival 2009
Official Selection – River to River Indian Film Festival 2009
Official Selection – Global Visions Film Festival 2009
Nominated for a Golden Sheaf at Yorkton Film Festival 2010
Best Documentary Film, New York Indian Film Festival 2010
Honorable Mention, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, 2011

Canadian National Prime Time Broadcast OMNI Networks, Nov. 2010
Discovery Channel India, April 2011

World Sales Agent

An Inner City Films Production