Edition 3
2020
Over two editions, Ahmedabad had witnessed a profound, compelling and immersive showcasing of multi-disciplinary arts at Abhivyakti. The focus of Abhivyakti Edition 3 was on identifying and showcasing only original multi-disciplinary works of art that had played a vital role in redefining Ahmedabad's artistic culture and had given the city's indigenous creative minds a podium to show their expressions. Theatre, Music, Dance, Visual Arts – No matter what the artistic indulgence, Abhivyakti Edition 3 became a place for the infinitely curious to explore, support and experience compelling expressions for our time.
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Dance
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Literature
Mentors
Daksha Sheth
Daksha Sheth is one of India's most innovative and progressive dance artists. Trained in Kathak by Padma Bhushan Kumudini Lakhia, Mayurbhanj Chhau by Guru Krishna Chandra Naik, and Kalaripayattu by Guru Govindankutty Nair, she draws on indigenous traditions including mallakhambh to build a distinctly physical dance language. Her choreographic practice, developed through her Trivandrum-based company, has earned recognition across the world. The Daksha Sheth Dance Company has performed in over 30 countries.
Rajat Dholakia
A National Film Award-winning music composer and sound designer, Rajat Dholakia — known as Juku — has shaped Indian music across genres for decades. Self-taught yet deeply rooted in Indian classical, Western classical and film music traditions, he received the National Award for Dharavi (1991) and Sunday (1992). His introduction of Chhattisgarhi music into Bollywood, including his collaboration with A.R. Rahman on Genda Phool, remains a landmark. He has contributed to over 8,000 films and commercial productions worldwide.
Sharmila Sagara
Sharmila Sagara holds a master's degree in sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Vadodara, and brings over 25 years of teaching experience at graduate and post-graduate levels. She has taught at CEPT University and Ahmedabad University, where she helped develop liberal arts programmes. Her research and writing have appeared in art magazines and vernacular publications, and she has curated exhibitions and hosted international art shows in Ahmedabad and Mumbai. She is currently an Associate Professor at Anant National University.
Sunil Shanbag
Sunil Shanbag is a Mumbai-based theatre director and producer who co-founded Theatre Arpana and Tamaasha Theatre, serving as their artistic director. Over 35 years, his work has examined the complexities of contemporary India through theatre across conventional and alternative spaces. His productions address pressing social issues including class, caste and gender. Beyond directing, he has led theatre education workshops for actors, directors and teachers at multiple levels. Sunil is also a distinguished documentary filmmaker recognised with national awards.
Curators
Akash Bhatt
Akash Bhatt is a musician and practicing architect trained in tabla at Saptak School of Music. A SOROS Foundation Scholarship winner for Performing Arts in 2001, he spent over a decade in Eastern Europe absorbing Balkan, Turkish, Arabian and jazz fusion traditions. His unique fusion concept Kshitij Project brought together genre origins from across the world at Abhivyakti's first edition. He continues his musical journey as a curator, believing art forms can freely dance, sing and compose together.
Sonal Bhargav
Sonal Bhargav is a seasoned Bharatnatyam artist with over 35 years of devotion to the classical form. Her journey with Abhivyakti began in its very first edition with her performance of Pratibimb, a compelling piece inspired by contemporary Gujarati poetry. In Edition 3, she contributed as Dance Curator while also captivating audiences with her performance of Lakshmana. She is the founder of Satva Dance Academy in Ahmedabad, where she continues to nurture and inspire the next generation of dancers.
Ankit Gor
Ankit Gor is a theatre director, actor and writer based in Ahmedabad who believes art must unsettle and illuminate. He studied Mass Communication and Journalism at master's level and trained with the National School of Drama and Gujarat Sangeet Natak Akademi. For nearly four years he directed full-length productions at Tapovan Sanskar Pith. A playwright of distinction, he won the most promising theatre writer award at the Gujarat Literature Festival 2018 and also writes for films and web series.
Vyom
Vyom is a sculptor and visual artist based in Ahmedabad whose work is shaped by the belief that creativity takes courage. After graduating from M.S. University, Vadodara, he explored various materials before finding his voice in sculpture. He holds that space entirely dictates the kind of work one can make, and this conviction drives his ever-evolving practice. Each new body of work reflects a soul-led idea transformed into material form, earning him recognition as one of Ahmedabad's most distinctive contemporary sculptors.
