Rajvi Panchal

IR3006

Transiting from the new city to the old city appeared to me like I was travelling back in time. The journey started on 8TH of January, 2020 when I visited the old stock exchange building, located in the old city, for the first time. Before reaching the site, one had to traverse the chaos that the old city carried throughout the day. After moving through the narrow street that is shaded by the buildings, you reach an open space where people usually park their vehicles.  You come to a point where you see the front facade of the old stock exchange.   Walking through the streets of the old city, gives you various visuals.  It talks about the history, the stories that the old city holds about the built, about the people, about emotions and about events. When we look back at those stories in today’s context, it becomes the art of storytelling.  Walking on the streets filled with noise, full of life, suddenly you come to a crossing point, where you see a graveyard.  It is a dramatic frame that gives you a story to question about death and life.Looking at a context, old city is all about stories, narration, memory, nostalgia. To recall or to revive those stories at a place called “old stock exchange “ will become a place where one can learn the art of storytelling. Storytelling describes the social and cultural activity of sharing stories, sometimes with improvisation, theatrics or embellishment. Every culture has its own stories or narratives, which are shared as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation or instilling moral values. It is a place where once’s delusion gets clearer by seeing or discussing different perspective of a particular topics by proposing the activities like interactive sessions with artists or initiators, performances like storytelling, poetry, dance music, lectures, workshops etc.