‘People used to be nervous to enter art galleries’ -Zahra Amiruddin, THE HINDU

It is widely known that the foundation of this pulsating city originated with the merging of seven islands. Colaba, Mazagaon, Mahim, Parel, Bombay Island, Worli, and Old Woman’s Island, were united to form an ever-changing map, with continuously shifting plot points. As the personalities of neighbourhoods have moulded with time, certain descriptions have attached themselves to each place. For Colaba, the word is often considered to be—art, owing to the multitude of galleries dotting the area.

Tucked in a lane past Sassoon Dock, stands Art Musings, one of the oldest surviving galleries in Mumbai. Opened in 1999, much before Colaba was identified as an ‘art district’ – Art Musings – is an unassuming space. The gallery, responsible for a large chapter in the city’s artistic history, turns 20 this year. Art Musings has been host to celebrated artists such as MF Husain, SH Raza, Baiju Parthan, FN Souza, and Anjolie Ela Menon, and is now paving the way for younger artists like Shilo Shiv Suleman, and Smriti Dixit.

Celebrating the past

With a year-long programme planned, the gallery director, Sangeeta Raghavan, is keen to give back to the roster of artists, collectors, and visitors who have supported the independent gallery over the years. Starting with a show titled, The Opening Plenary, which is ongoing at the Jehangir Art Gallery, the celebrations will continue with five shows curated at Art Musings in the coming months. These are spread over two months each, and feature four artists at a time.

With an obvious ode to the gallery’s age, 20 artists and long-term collaborators are currently showcasing new work curated by art critic and theorist, Ranjit Hoskote. Raghavan elaborates that there are new works by Ajay Dhandre, Milburn Cherian, Baiju Parthan and Sakti Burman, and new paintings by Nilofer Suleman, her daughter Shilo Shiv Suleman, Maya Burman, Atul Dodiya and Nalini Malani. “Even though each of these artists have completely different practice styles, Hoskote has managed to create a seamless body of work. He has treated them as mini solos, each with their own breathing area,” shares Raghavan.

For her, the space is brimming with nostalgia, owing to the fact that Raghavan’s mother, Shanti Chopra, and her aunt Kasturi Wadwani, were responsible for the birth of the gallery. “I remember when my family first started collecting in 1992, and art lined the walls of their flat in Cuffe Parade until 1999.” Raghavan turned director 16 years ago, leaving her job as a fashion choreographer after 25 years, and taking on the family legacy.

Since Souza was a family friend; Husain and Chopra roamed in the same circles, and Menon and Wadwani were close, the family was always interlinked with the art world. Raghavan looks back at a time when SH Raza was her mentor, and encouraged her to “see beyond what you see.” Raza’s curiosity was contagious, and inspired the gallery director to discover the spirit behind creating art.

Aside from art

Raghavan is keen on sharing this personal bond by displaying rare old letters and drawings by Raza, Husain, Souza, and KG Subramanyan. There is also a collection of art books and catalogues from past years that will enable visitors to experience a slice of the gallery’s history. “Our artists are the reason we’ve found our own vibe, a space to exist amidst the numerous galleries surrounding us,” shares Raghavan.

Over the years, the gallery director has observed a shift in the way that audiences respond to art, and the growth in the number of visitors. She concludes by saying “earlier, people were nervous to enter galleries as they saw it to be a space of the snobbish and the snooty, but now there’s a sense of appreciation for the art itself, and nothing else matters.”

The Opening Plenary is ongoing at Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda until February 18; for details see artmusings.net