Bees. That’s what a three-day arts and culture festival at the Hyatt Regency is going to be about. Installations of art, dance performances, poetry readings and other expressions by leading personalities will he held at various spaces in the hotel, the décor of which is themed around bees and hives. The festival will also mark the formal opening of the artwork by various artists that adorn the hotel.
The festival is intended as an ode to the bee, which plays a critical role in the ecosystem. It is being joint organised by the Asian Heritage Foundation, National Biodiversity Authority, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, CPR Environment Education and the Hyatt Regency.
The artwork that will form an important part of the festival, are permanent installations at the hotel, as part of a collection curated by renowned designer and artist Rajeev Sethi.
“This building was empty for a long time. When we came here to check the space out there were huge beehives in the atrium. The resilience of these bees in building such large hives in the middle of a concrete jungle inspired me to use them as a theme for the hotel’s décor,” says Sethi. Sethi and his team have over the years picked, commissioned and installed artwork by a number of designers, artists and sculptors. He says despite their critical role in the ecosystem, pollinating flowers, bees are constantly coming under threat.
The festival is set to begin on August 2, on the auspicious 18th day of the Tamil month of Aadi, to coincide with its significance to the agricultural community in Tamil Nadu. Filmmaker Kamal Haasan, music director AR Rahman, leading danseuse Alarmel Valli, lyricist Vairamuthu and choreographer Malvika Sarukkai, danseuse Sonal Mansingh, filmmaker Shyam Benegal, Crnatic vocalist TM Krishna, former West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and agriculturalist MS Swaminathan are some of those who are set to take part in the festival. A workshop on Nature Deficit Disorder, the behavioral problems in children due to a lack of time spent outdoors, will also be held as part of the festival The festival will also see the participation of traditional beekeepers from the Kurumba tribe of the Nilgiris.
While the bee-themed artwork already installed at the hotel would be an integral part of the festival, the project itself is not complete, says Sethi. “For a hotel to commission 50 pieces of art centered around bees is remarkable. This itself is a work in progress, and a lot more artwork will be installed here over time,” he says.
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