KOCHI: The city will host The Water Town Fest, a unique melange of art, local culture, music and photography nestled in the horseshoe that is Jew Town, Mattancherry.
The festival aims to breathe back life into the quaint little-cobbled horseshoe of a town, nestled in the heart of Jew Town in Mattancherry, which is also among the biggest and busiest spice markets of the world.
The catalyst to Water Town Fest is the Kochi Muziris Biennale, one of the world’s biggest art and culture events, now in its fourth edition, organisers said here.
The fest commences with the International Photo Exhibition ‘Pause’ on December 13. The exhibition will feature six to seven Indian and international photographers of repute, such as Mark Harris, Boris Eldagsen, Giles Clarke, Melissa Golden, Vineet Vohra, James Wellford, and the legendary Vietnam war photojournalist Nick Ut. Pause is curated by K G Sreenivas, editor and publisher, Creative Brands.
Along with the photo exhibition, the festival will also be home to the electrifying musical experience ‘THUMP’ and ‘SPICED’, a food carnival. “Jew Town was home to the ‘Paradesi Jews,’ a once-thriving community who imbued the town with a unique heritage. Today, there are only six of the Paradesi Jews in Jew Town. Water Town Fest aims to rekindle the cultural heritage of Jew Town,” the organisers said.