The fourth edition of Marghazhi Matram or ‘Marghazhi with a Change’, organised by Artablities 4 All and SciArtsRUs, will be held in December over eight days in the city.
The events are slated for December 3, 6, 8, 9,10, 28, 29, and 30 at three different venues. This year’s global event will feature over 125 artists with over 200 performances and around 60 visual and performing artists from the disabled and other marginalised communities.
The Lifetime Recognition Award will be given to visually impaired veena artist Hemalatha Mani. Bharathnatyam dancer Narthaki Nataraj will be honoured with the Trailblazer Award for her contributions to the transgender community. Rising Star Awards will be given to artists Vaikom Vijayalakshmi and Kanmoni Sasi, from Kerala with visual and physical impairment respectively.
The inaugural day, December 3, will feature inclusive performances by Kanmoni Sasi, a performance by Narthaki Nataraj, and a grand finale by wheelchair dancers, “Navutthan”, from New Delhi. The Artabilities 4 All Wall of Fame will be launched in a unique collaboration with the National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies (NCAHT), IIT-Madras. This wall will honour visual artists with disabilities who have made a mark in their area of expertise.
On December 10, a 12-hour-long inclusive thematic Akhandam will be performed by artists of varying abilities, seniorities, cultures, and backgrounds.
Cross-cultural performances
The events on December 28, 29 and 30 will feature cross-culture dancers from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and India in a collaborative Bharatanatyam performance led by Lucrezia Maniseotti of Accademia Sangam. There will be inclusive Namasankeerthanam performances, keyboard duet, a strings trio, flute solo, and a vocal duo by sisters, Kiran and Nivi.
The grand finale of Marghazhi Matram 2023 will be by an inclusive group rendition of “Uthsava Sampradaya Krithis” by over 30 students of Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalitha Music and Fine Arts University, said a press release here.
