Art for Heart’s Sake

To hold an exhibition at Jehangir today, one has to book years in advance. Were art galleries the same in those days? Says Merchant, ‘‘The difference was that at that time, gallery owners like Kali Pundole of Pundole Art Gallery, who is no more, used to really go out and help the artists and say, ‘Doesn’t matter if you can’t pay me now, you can pay me later’. This kind of camaraderie provided for so much growth for the artists.’’

Some of Merchant’s best memories of theatre are associated with Max Mueller Bhavan, a stone’s throw away from Jehangir. ‘‘Learning that MMB had shut down its theatre section was a rude shock. It was like someone had cut off an arm. Max Mueller Bhavan was so accessible and so affordable, it made a wonderful contribution to my career as an actress.’’

It was at Max Mueller that Merchant made a mark in the play Duet for One, in which she portrayed a woman in a wheelchair. ‘‘Since the large hall didn’t have any formal seating, we acted in the middle, with the audience all around us. So there was really no chance for an actress to cheat on anything. And I remember I used to weep inconsolably on stage because this character that I was personifying was going down and people from the audience used to get up and give me their hankies.’’

The Art Crescent has been consecrated by the annual Kala Ghoda Art festival, but Merchant believes it should become a permanent feature on this stretch. ‘‘You could have artists who can’t afford galleries displaying their work here. After all, artists have to start somewhere,’’ she says. ‘‘Unfortunately, now art is the prerogative of the wealthy. I feel art has lost its meaning, with more and more people possessing a work to show off or to double in value. In my book, one buys art because it likes you, it jumps out at you.’’