WHERE ART SEEKS YOU

Friday, July 18, began with a hunch, a helmet, and cluelessness. All I had was an Instagram post with an event poster and a caption that read: "Pick your spot and enjoy the magic of Mixtura." No detailed schedule, no pinned location; just a list of artistes, a few venue names and the promise that something unmissable was about to unfold in the city. Somewhere in the traffic-flooded streets or in a park's amphitheatre, Chennai's public arts festival was waiting to be found.

- RAKSHITHA PRIYA G

Heading towards Chennai Central Metro in an Uber bike — one of the listed spots — with utmost curiosity, I followed my instinct to spot a stage in the middle of a busy street. And as I neared the station, one of the mysteries — the 'where is this happening' — was answered. A gathering had taken shape on the pavement just outside the metro entrance, beside the MGR Central Metro bus stand. Phones were held high, and the vehicle horns faded as the speakers echoed the sound check of tabla and keyboard. I had arrived at the fourth edition of Mixtura Vizha.

Unlike most art festivals or street performances, Mixtura Vizha doesn't offer a tightly packed agenda. It throws open various global art forms, placing them squarely in public spaces for people to experience them with an open mind. Curated by Shreya Nagarajan Singh under her banner SNS Arts Development Consultancy, along with KM Music Conservatory, in partnership with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and Uptown Kathipara Urban Square.