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Anunaya Chaubey on Art
One of the most controversial works of art, English artist Damien Hirst’s 1991 installation, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, is at once a bewildering and moving piece of art. The work presents a 14-foot tiger shark suspended in a vitrine full of blue formaldehyde and makes us confront the disturbing yet poetic enigma of death and life. The work established Hirst as the most revolutionary and one of the wealthiest artists towards the end of the 20th century, a reputation that he continues to maintain even today.
Chaubey is a practising artist and lecturer of English, as well as deputy dean of the young India fellowship
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Jai Arjun Singh on Books
I first encountered Robin Wood’s Hitchcock’s Films Revisited as a teenager, and the book showed me new ways of “reading” movies. Wood emphasised the importance of looking at cinema as a medium with its own language. His best qualities include open-mindedness and a remarkable honesty about how his personal life and changing ideologies affected his movie-watching.
Singh is a Delhi-based film and book critic
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Kaushik Barua on Music
If you believe the expression “it’s all been done before” carries relevance in the Indian indie scene today you clearly have yet to encounter the Delhi-based electro/experimental act Tankbund. Bright and heavy ambient loops fittingly crashing with old-school patches of pop and rock, this cohesive bunch carry a genre-defying ocean of sound that is profoundly magnified by the stellar production values and melodies.
Barua is a Delhi-based music writer
[/box]Nitin Bhardwaj on Film
One film that created an unprecedented impact on my heart, mind and soul would be Vikramaditya Motwane’s directorial venture, Udaan. Motwane’s dexterous storytelling captures both the patriarchal challenge and the consequent adolescent rebellion with sheer grace. It does not compromise with its integrity and is consistent. The proficient performances by the entire cast leave an indelible impression on your psyche. Nothing breaks the mirage of being teleported to the other side of the celluloid screen, which makes it an ineffable cinematic experience.
Bhardwaj is a writer and director based in Delhi
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Umang Sonthalia on Food
Of the three years I lived in Kolkata, if there is any place that screams of its grandeur it has to be Peter Cat. The dim lights, nice use of wood and carpeted flooring is a huge contrast to the busy street outside. The menu is smart, simply designed and offers a variety of dishes including chelo kebabs, which are my personal favourite. I would also recommend to my vegetarian friends the tandoori broccoli accompanied with a mug of beer. This heritage restaurant, conveniently located in the heart of the city, is a must visit for every foodie. The impeccable service only adds to the experience.
Sonthalia is the owner of Icy Spicy in Port Blair
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