BEAUTY WILL SAVE THE WORLD,

A journey through the arts in search of the divine

18.30 –  Opening kirtan, chanted meditation

              Introduction to the paintings of Elvira Martos and Isvar Barbagallo

19.00 -  Theatrical reading, “Dhanya Kali Yuga: from the age of decline towards a new golden age” by Jiva Priya Das

19.30  - Dance performance, Odissi-style classical Indian dance by Ganga Devi

20.00 - Closing kirtan, musical performance with traditional Indian instruments

 followed by vegetarian refreshments

In ancient times, the arts nourished the consciousness, far removed from the superficial distractions of the present age. Through the words of the ancient Vedic texts, we shall recount the transition from the Golden Age, in which the spiritual quest and the search for the divine were the ultimate purpose of existence, to understand how we have ended up in this ill-fated present that celebrates only appearances.

On this evening, we wish to restate art's role as a bridge to that inner Self which awaits revelation beyond the veil of matter, Maya. The beauty of works of art will serve as a tool for contemplation, capable of leading us to deeper realms of transcendence, where the breath and the mind find peace.

The theatrical narration will be brought to life visually through Isvar Barbagallo’s painting, which depicts the characteristics of this Kali Yuga – the age of discord and hypocrisy, in which all values seem to have been lost. In this context, Elvira Martos’s art will serve as the key, celebrating Kirtan as the primary path to purification, as taught by the luminous example of the great Masters.

Her painting will become a window onto a higher reality. It will be experienced vividly through the vibration of the chanting of mantras, supported by the strings of the sitar, the keys of the harmonium, and the mridanga, the sacred drum that sets the rhythm of Vedic mantra meditation. In this interweaving of sound and vision, the mind will finally find rest, allowing the heart to open to realisations that transcend time.

Odissi dance will join this ritual as a visible prayer, merging gesture with the sacred to express the stirrings of the soul and the quest for pure beauty as a reflection of the spiritual realms. Every movement will become a finely tuned instrument, a channel of grace which, through a blend of strength and gentleness, leads the seeker towards inner peace and a joyful connection with the Divine.