DFI organises D-Stories museum biennale in Bhuj

Ahmedabad : Design Factory India (DFI) and the state government of Gujarat put on a three-day museum biennale called D-Stories Museum: Creating Cultural Destinations. The event was planned to be a celebration of design, art, museums, and storytelling, and was intended to attract professionals and amateurs from all over the world. Smritivan Earthquake Memorial and Museum, located in the heart of Bhuj, Gujarat, played host to the event.

Opening the celebration of DFI’s first decade was a series of fascinating talks and panel discussions, as well as an exhibition titled “Creating Cultural Destinations,” curated by Padma Bhushan Shri Rajeev Sethi. The event’s tone was set during the opening session, which was attended by high-profile figures like the Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court, Arup Goswami, the Commissioner of Relief and Ex-officio Secretary of the Gujarat Revenue Department, Harshad Kumar Patel IAS, the Collector and District Magistrate of Kachchh, Dilip Rana IAS, and the Director of the Gujarat Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Dr. Pankaj Sharma.

Highlights included talks by Ms. Marieke Muller of Kossmanndejong, Dr.Pankaj Sharma of the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in Gujarat, Sandeep Virmani of the Hunnarshala Foundation, and Siddharth Bathla, founder of Design Factory India, who discussed the creation of the Smritivan Museum and unveiled a beautiful coffee table book documenting the Smritivan Earthqaury. The night culminated with a lively set by the Kabir Cafe.

Day two of the event started with talks and presentations on topics such as the “Roots of scenography” by Rajeev Sethi -Padma Bhushan awardee and notable Indian Designer; panel discussion on “How to keep museums alive” with Dr. Jayanta Sengupta – Former Secretary & Curator Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata & Mr. Advaita Charan Garnayank – Director General, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, among many others. The event also saw the participation of government organizations from across the country, including states like Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, and more. The day ended with a presentation by Ms. Prashasti Chandra from DFI followed by a guided tour of the Veer Balak Smarak in Anjar and a cultural night featuring remarkable performances by Kartikeya and Makrand.

The final day of the biennale saw a diverse range of topics being discussed, such as dramatizing storytelling in museums by Atul Tiwari – Actor and Writer, & Rajendra Gupta – Actor, live narratives in museums by Ysk Prerna from Conflictorium, and sculpting destinations by Mukul Goyal. The event concluded with a grand closing ceremony at the White Rann of Kutch by the local artisans who celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the Kutch region.

The biennale successfully showcased the theme of creating cultural destinations, the power of museums, and storytelling to connect people and communities leading to meaningful dialogues and reflections.