Biodiversity by the Bay: Festival's virtual exhibit features artists' vibrant reflections on Mumbai's ecosystem
The festival ran from 5 October to 25 October and was made up of the three elements of music, art and comedy that would highlight the issues faced by Mumbai’s biodiversity.
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Biodiversity by the Bay, a virtual festival set up by DeadAnt and Ministry of Mumbai’s Magic, featured a display of vibrant artworks that spoke of the city’s biodiversity and endangered ecosystems in a bid raise awareness about crucial environmental issues. | Artist Pia Alize’s illustration depicted a coming together of varied animals and plants of Mumbai’s ecosystem, including peacocks, deer, crabs, butterflies and hibiscus flowers. All images courtesy of the respective artists and Biodiversity by the Bay.
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The festival ran from 5 October to 25 October and was made up of three elements: music, art and comedy, which highlighted the issues faced by Mumbai’s biodiversity. | In artist Shilo Shiv Suleman’s work, it is possible to discern a oneness shared by the myriad species thriving in the city.
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Musicians, vocalists and composers like Parekh+Singh, Anushka Manchanda, Blot! and Dee MC were part of the line-up of artists who performed at the festival. | Aaquib Wani’s Flock You depicted the intrusive elements of human ecosystems into nature and examined the threats of a built urban environment to the city’s natural habitats.
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Works by artists Aaron Pinto and Shweta Malhotra were also among those on display. While Pinto’s work (Left) depicted a bright and colourful take on flamingos, Malhotra’s design (Right) was a call to Mumbaikars to save the habitat of these migratory birds.
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Five days of the festival were dedicated to stand-up comedy by comics like Prashashti Singh and Anu Menon. | Displaying her artwork in the virtual exhibit was Priyanka Paul, who brought to life the Koli community, Mumbai’s beating heart. Her illustration was a reminder of the adverse impact of coastal developments, COVID-19 and industrial fishing suffered by this artisanal community.
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José Covaco and comedian Daniel Fernandes also performed at the event organised with the aim of celebrating Mumbai’s ecosystems.| Filmmaker Vinu Joseph contributed with a film still which stood as stark comment on the rapidly deteriorating marine ecosystem of the city.
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Among the artists whose illustrations were on display at the Biodiversity by the Bay festival was Osheen Siva whose work was showcased on 16 October. A picture which depicted the artist’s love for the ocean brought to life the vastness, the brilliant colours and the mysterious depths of the waters.
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Biodiversity by the Bay closed on 25 October. The nearly month-long event brought together a host of artists to inspire the city’s youth to work towards environment conservation.| Smish Designs’ work which depicted a fisherman stroking a flamingo brought together two crucial elements of Mumbai’s ecosystem, subtly pointing to the human connect with nature.
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