Mumbai’s Art Beat

For some time now,Mumbai’s art community has been buzzing with talk of this event that will finally give the city its own large-scale art festival. Maithili Parekh,Director,Sotheby’s India,believes the festival,that begins today,will be a welcome addition. “Mumbai has always had a very active art scene,even before Independence,” she says. “It has always been the hub for art in India and houses numerous galleries,artists and international auction houses. So I think the India Art Festival will be a very welcome addition to the art scene in the city.”

Other experts in the field agree. “The biggest problem in Mumbai has always been space,that’s why there haven’t been such events here earlier,” says Ranjana Mirchandani Steinruecke,Director,Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke. “Otherwise the city would have been the hot-spot for art and art events. So this festival is a good step,and when people see the potential,maybe something bigger can come of it.”

Sharmistha Ray,a well-known artist and art curator,agrees. “Real estate has always been a problem in Mumbai so I hope the festival thrives and provides a necessary platform for both art education and the market,” she says.

During the four-day-long festival,besides the obvious display of hundreds of artwork,the organisers have planned a number of discussions and debates to provide the art education Ray speaks of. For instance,on November 18,the day begins with a discussion on the topic

‘Locating Ourselves: The persistent question of Indianness in shifting global scenarios’,moves on to a discussion on the ‘Indian art market: Present and future’ in the afternoon,and ends with a debate on the topic ‘Is criticism in India non-existent?’.

The discussions continue on Saturday. The three sessions scheduled for the day are ‘The collector’s eye’,‘Education in Art’ and ‘Artists and art critics: Open dialogue on art,aesthetics and commerce’. On Sunday,however,the schedule reads differently. The first event of the day is a fusion show followed by a visit to Tao Art Gallery and a conversation with artist Payal Khandwala in the afternoon. The festival will end with a multi-lingual poetry reading.

Being the first of its kind in the city,everyone in Mumbai’s art circuit hopes the event will be a huge success and play the role the India Art Fair does in Delhi. Though Arshiya Lokhandwala,art historian and director,Lakeeren Art Gallery,wishes the same for the art jamboree,she chooses to be cautiously optimistic. “Mumbai is an important art centre. So there is a need for an art festival of this sort,but it remains to be seen if it will be able to live up to expectations,” she says. “A lot of galleries that should be taking part in it are focussing on the India Art Fair. So the question arises if India is ready for two such art festivals. But we all want the festival to be successful,and art collectors from all over the country to come to Mumbai.”