ANPU VARKEY
DEAD SOULS
MAY 27 – JUNE 10, 2008
OPENING RECEPTION MAY 29, 2008 6:30 – 8:30 PM.

The GUILD ART USA INC. is pleased to present Anpu Varkey’s solo exhibition, ‘Dead Souls’. The works compiled for the exhibition “Dead Souls” by Anpu Varkey are contemplations recorded from over two years of her life lived between London and her hometown Bangalore. Possessing a somewhat self - obsessed voyeuristic personality with two tablespoons of nihilistic misanthropy thrown in, the compositions featured in this compilation are quite random. The works are not informed by any global or local sentiment. They do not try to engage the audience in any manner apart from any energy resulting spontaneously out of the optical and psychological jerks that they transmit. The compositions are structured with a studied laziness and a graceful clumsiness of the wrist. Colors are layered to deftly model out a vibrancy that is centrifugal yet static. Perfect detailing and all misinterpretations resulting from it is subjugated by the hyper intuitive color usage that captures a state of limbo, where time, place and contexts can be dematerialized into nothingness.

The show opens on the 27th of May and continues till the 10th of June. The opening reception will be held at the gallery on the 29th of May from 6:30 – 8:30. Anpu Varkey will be in attendance. We look forward to seeing you at the opening.

The Guild Art Gallery
45 W.21st street
Buzzer #39
2nd floor, rear
New York, NY 10010
212.229.2110
www.theguildny.com

Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art invites applicants for Public Art Grant 2008 and Emerging Artist Award 2008. Please note that the Public Art Grant 2008 deadline has been extended to 31 May 2008.

Public Art Grant 2008
Deadline May 31, 2008

Supporting artists interested in working in the public realm. FICA aims to generate interest in public art projects in India, and mutually engage and initiate an open debate among artists, local communities and the public to look at shared environments in different ways.

The grant is for Rs. 5 lakhs, for a period of one year. Requirements and conditions are clearly detailed in the application form.

Emerging Artist Award 2008
Deadline May 31, 2008

Supporting young artists studying or practicing in India who excel in the visual arts. Two winners will receive a combined show at Vadehra Art Gallery. The award includes roundtrip travel from your city of residence in India, a two month studio/residency to produce a body of work for the exhibition, and a stipend to cover costs.

Requirements and conditions are clearly detailed in the application form. You may download the applications from www.ficart.org

SAMMA (South Asians in Media and Marketing Association) invites you:

Panel Event: "Hollywood, Bollywood, and Everything In Between: Producing Films and Going Mainstream"

* When: Next Tuesday, May 6th, 7-9 pm. Drinks & Appetizers will be served.
* Where: Leela Lounge, 1 W. 3rd St., NYC
* RSVP: Email samma.info@gmail.com today! Limited Seats Available
* Price: SAMMA Members-FREE; $10 Non Members

Indie films, Bollywood, and even Documentaries are breaking into the mainstream consciousness. We will explore the business of producing and creating successful films - from Hollywood to Bollywood, from indie films to documentaries. Whether it is a theatrical or non-theatrical release, we will explore the business of filmmaking by gathering four great panelists who are making it happen across documentaries, feature films, Bollywood, and independently-financed films.

We bring together a fantastic panel of speakers behind successes such as Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited", 2008 Sundance hit "American Teen", global phenomenon "Monsoon Wedding", 2006 Sundance hit and breakthrough film "Punching at the Sun", the cross-border hit "Kal Ho Naa Ho", and "The Namesake".

This is a great panel for anyone who is interested in producing/creating/financing films, is in the entertainment industry, or simply is a fan of the art of movie-making and entertainment.

Come meet the following panelists:

* Sabrina Dhawan whose produced screenplay "Monsoon Wedding" was nominated for a Golden Globe and BAFTA "Best Foreign Language Film". She is currently working with Vishal Bharadwaj (Omkara, Maqbool) and Shekhar Kapoor (Bandit Queen, Elizabeth) on two upcoming films.

* Anadil Hossain whose company most recently worked alongside Mira Nair on "The Namesake" and Wes Anderson's on "Darjeeling Limited". Moving from Bollywood to Hollywood, she previously helped produce "Kal Ho Naa Ho" and "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna".

* Molly Thompson heads the famed A&E IndieFilms producing 2008 Sundance Hit and "Best Directer" Award Winner "American Teen" and Oscar Nominated "Jesus Camp" which she successfully sold to Paramount.

* Mridu Chandra a leading filmmaker who associate produced 2006 Sundance hit "Punching at the Sun", PBS' award-winning NOW series segment on India and is now producing a biographical film about late writer and social critic Susan Sontag. She is also a Lecturer on Film at NYU and has premiered at Sundance too many times to count!

Limited Seats! RSVP today - email samma.info@gmail.com with your name, contact info, and title/company.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Panel Synopsis and Details
* Hollywood, Bollywood and Everything Between - Synopsis
* Molly Thompson - A&E IndieFilm - Bio
* Anadil Hossain, Dillywood Productions - Bio
* Sabrina Dhawan - Producer/Writer - Bio
* Mrindu Chandra - Filmmaker/Writer- Bio

Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage (Seating Chart)
Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 8 PM

Tickets from $24 - $79

Program Details

Asha Bhosle, Vocalist
Amit Kumar, Vocalist
The long-reigning diva of Bollywood film music Asha Bhosle is said to be the most recorded voice in history, yet it is on stage that her powerful voice and captivating personality really shine. Her return to Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage promises to be a truly magical experience.

Presenters include Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, founder of Sri Lanka’s Sarvodaya movement; Rajmohan Gandhi, Ghandi’s biographer and grandson; Philip Glass performing excerpts of his opera “Satyagraha;” Paul Hawken, author of “Blessed Unrest;” Sulak Sivaraksa, founder of the Thailand Spirit in Education; Odetta, one of American music’s most celebrated figures.

Programs are subject to change. Please note that due to limited capacities, some Target First Saturday programs require tickets. Ticket lines often form 30 minutes before ticket distribution at the Visitor Center located in the Rubin Lobby. Free ticket distribution does not apply to © MURAKAMI. Those tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Center.

85 East 4th Street, NYC 10003

SMITH Magazine and KGB Nonfiction host a 6 Word Memoir Slam based on the book Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. The book grew out of the response when SMITH Magazine—an online publication that celebrates storytelling—challenged their readers to write their six-word memoirs. Based on Hemingway's legendary six-word story ("For sale: baby shoes, never worn"), this personal twist captured the public's imagination. More than 15,000 entries poured in, from writers who had never been published before and big names like Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, Dave Eggers, and Joyce Carol Oates. Co-editors Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser will introduce contributors Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Koren Zailckas, Ned Vizzini, and more. The audience will be invited to write their own mini-memoirs and participate in this unique event.

The Guild Art Gallery
45 W.21st street
Buzzer #39
2nd floor, rear
New York, NY 10010
212.229.2110
www.theguildny.com

On Friday, April 25th, Move Forward Music and Deepa Management present the debut of Get Crunk or Die Tryin', a new event at The Knitting Factory focused on bringing live music back into the fold as the cornerstone of a bad ass dance party. An amalgamation of funk, hip-hop, and soul, Get Crunk or Die Tryin' is a party powered by live bands alongside a DJ, featuring live performances by Brooklyn's own Pimps of Joytime and Los Angeles funk-enthusiasts Stex Jebba (in their first-ever NYC show), with a little turntable flavor added by emerging Miami crate-digger, DJ Phil Anthony.

Knitting Factory
74 Leonard Street btwn Church and B'way
Show @ 11pm

The new trailer is available on the film's website, but as it's an uncensored red-band trailer, the MPAA requires people to verify that they are age 17 or older to view it.

It has been described as "pretty raw and bold", so clicker be WARNED!

The Center for International Media Assistance and the Asia Program
at the National Endowment for Democracy invite you to a luncheon presentation on:

Instability in Pakistan:
Implications for the Future of Independent Media

Featuring:

Steve Coll
New America Foundation
The New Yorker

Nicholas Schmidle
Freelance Journalist

Sami Abraham
GEO-TV

Manzur Ejaz
The Daily Times

Wednesday, February 27, 2008
12:00-2:00 p.m.

(Lunch served from 12:00-12:30 p.m.)

1025 F Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, DC 20004

RSVP (acceptances only) with name and affiliation by Monday, February 25, to CIMA@ned.org

What is the state of the media in Pakistan today? Following the liberalization of the electronic media sector in 2002, broadcast media fought hard to gain independence from state control and serve as a more reliable alternative to state-run television. Since then, television and radio stations have contributed to major changes in the political landscape of Pakistan. On November 3, 2007, however, President Pervez Musharraf declared a national state of emergency, suspended the constitution, and imposed martial law. He immediately followed with a major media crackdown, shutting down independent Pakistani news television stations and threatening Pakistani journalists who challenged his actions with jail terms. Journalists responded to the crisis in various ways, changing the medium of their message from television broadcasting to Internet streaming and mobile phones, as well as continuing their vigorous reporting through newspapers, most of which are private. By December, Musharraf unilaterally imposed a new code of conduct for the media, which effectively blocks any criticism of the government.

How has the expansion of media platforms, such as the Internet, satellite TV, and FM radio, fundamentally altered the political landscape in Pakistan? How are the government's new restrictions affecting news reporting? How have the media responded? What, if any, was the impact on coverage of the February 18 elections? How will the new media restrictions affect future prospects for independent media in Pakistan?

A plug for something a friend has created and that I was involved in -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVyC0AQK07Q

THEY told THEM not to work or invest in this film. (2006)

THEY told US not to make this film. (2007)

THEY will tell YOU it's about "Forbidden Love". (2008)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0841048/

SAAVN BRINGS BOLLYWOOD RINGTONES AND RINGBACK TONES TO VERIZON WIRELESS AND BOLLYWOOD MUSIC VIDEOS, TV SHOWS AND MOVIES TO VERIZON FIOS TV

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and NEW YORK – Just in time for the holiday season, Verizon Wireless, the leading wireless company with the nation’s most reliable wireless voice and data network, announced today its customers can now access the hottest Bollywood Ringtones and Ringback tones on their phones. Additionally, on Verizon FiOS TV, Verizon’s next generation TV service, customers can view the hottest music videos, television shows and movies from Bollywood.

Through the wireless company’s relationship with Saavn, the industry leader in digital distribution of South Asian content and packages, Verizon Wireless customers can access hit music from the Indian film industry (known as “Bollywood”) directly on their mobile phones. All the best classics and latest Bollywood Ringtones and Ringback tones are currently available, including songs from recent hit films such as “Heyy Babyy,” “Kya Love Story Hai,” and “Don,” plus past hit albums such as “Dil Chahta Hai,” “Aksar,” and “Chalte Chalte.”

“While there seems to be an Indian restaurant in almost every town, Indian music is a little harder to find,” said Vin Bhat, co-founder and general manager of Saavn. “Our relationship with Verizon Wireless makes Bollywood music from T-SERIES and other labels readily accessible to the company’s millions of customers with a few clicks on a Verizon Wireless phone. The customer response has been tremendous, as people love the fact they can now enjoy the latest Bollywood Ringtones which are commonplace in India.”

Through a separate agreement with Verizon FiOS TV, a leader in delivering Video on Demand, Saavn will offer FiOS TV customers access to some of the best Bollywood music videos, television shows and major motion pictures. The multi-year deal includes an opportunity for passionate Bollywood fans to subscribe monthly to current and previous music videos, television shows and movies or to purchase the titles individually.

Both Verizon Wireless and Verizon FiOS TV have a track record of bringing diverse genres of music and video to its customers. In 2004, Verizon Wireless became the first national wireless company to offer Ringback tones; since then, the company has introduced unique artist relationships with music legends and pop icons, highlighting cutting-edge music services that encourage music discovery, such as V CAST Song ID. Today, the company delivers more than 35,000 Ringtones and 32,000 Ringback tones that customers can use to personalize their phones.

Saavn and Verizon Wireless are also flying one lucky winner and a guest to India to meet Bollywood’s most popular superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, with the “Verizon, Shah Rukh and YOU!” contest. The grand prize includes two roundtrip airline tickets from the United States to Mumbai for an exclusive meeting with the king of Bollywood. For more information, including rules and how to enter, please visit www.saavn.com/verizon.

Verizon Wireless customers can access Bollywood Ringtones and Ringback tones from Saavn by going to the Music & Tones menu and then browsing for the Bollywood category on VZW Tones Deluxe. Customers can also send the text message BOLLY to 3404 to get a list of available Ringtones and Ringback tones.

For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com.

in Conversation with

Vishakha N. Desai
President, Asia Society

In 1938 few Americans knew about British-governed India or the nationalist movements then burgeoning there. Addressing this, a New York-based foundation, the Institute of Current World Affairs, awarded 23-year-old Phillips Talbot a fellowship to spend several years in India learning about the country. An American Witness to India's Partition is a collection of letters Ambassador Talbot had written between 1938 and 1950, on the buildup to the independence of India and Pakistan, and the early experiences of the new states. His letters and reports from the field, presented here in the original, include his first-hand observations on student life at Aligarh Muslim University, local life in a small Muslim community in Kashmir, a Vedic ashram in Lahore, Tagores Shantiniketan, Gandhis Sevagram, the Kodaikanal Ashram Fellowship, and Hindu and Muslim urban communities in Lahore and Bombay, and Afghanistan. Learning about Indian politics, Ambassador Talbot attended crucial meetings of the Indian National Congress, including the Ramgarh Conclave at the beginning of World War II, and the All India Muslim Leagues Lahore session at which the Pakistan resolution was adopted in 1940, along with other assemblies such as the Asian Relations Conference in the spring of 1947. He came to know Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, Jinnah and other leaders. Please join us for an evening discussion with Ambassador Talbot, who had a vantage point in witnessing and recording the events leading up to the Partition as well as his observations of India's transformation over the decades since.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. (Reception follows)
Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021

Registration
$7 Student w/ID;
$7 Asia Society Members;
$12 Nonmembers

For tickets, call the Asia Society box office at (212) 517-ASIA
or visit https://tickets.asiasociety.org

Policy programs at the Asia Society are generously supported by the
Nicholas Platt Endowment for Public Policy.