Take the reins, travel through time at HTKGAF

Here’s what you can expect if you haven’t stopped by yet — a wishing tree, a crowd-sourced bookstallation, and a buzz all around as selfie-takers try to find the perfect angle

There were students from Paris, children running wild and adults taking selfies atop giant rocking horses as the HT Kala Ghoda Arts Festival opened to happy crowds, a myriad of photos, and huge installations along Rampart Row.

Visitors relive their childhood through the various installations at the HT Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai on Saturday. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

“I can’t believe the idea of a horse has been interpreted in so many ways,” said Lara Morakhia, 53, a doctor from Lower Parel, referring to this year’s theme — the return of the dark horse.

Here’s what you can expect if you haven’t stopped by yet — a wishing tree, a crowd-sourced bookstallation, and a buzz all around as selfie-takers try to find the perfect angle.

“The installations are so representative of India’s culture,” said Garance Quecleu, 15, a design student here from Paris. “We’re glad we’re here in time for the festival and hope to catch many events.”

The nine-day festival celebrates food, art, music, dance, literature and more.

The installations offer time-travel.The Rocking Horse takes you back to your childhood and the shiny wooden horsey that ended up forgotten in the storeroom. “The idea of this installation is to let visitors re-experience that sense of pure joy,” says Yogendra Khatu, who created the structure with Raman Chary. “Take the reins, this wooden horse is all yours; only bigger.”

The Dance of Past and Future — an anonymous work by an artist tracing the evolution of textiles of India through an installation shaped like a horse — quickly became a popular zone for selfies.

Particularly intrigued by this installation were Elotia Loudon, 32, and Sara Hooley, 39 — textile businesswomen from London. “It’s striking how the traditional meets the contemporary in these installations. Everything just comes together in new ways,” said Loudon.

Well, that is the spirit of KGAF.

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