5 Mumbai art galleries likely to house the next big thing

Besides being an independant art consultant, Advani managed VIP relations for India at Art Basel this year.

Mumbai is home to world-class museums, but it’s in the nation's small art galleries that international interest is buzzing.

The Indian art scene is hot. So it takes some expertise to know where to find tomorrow’s global art star. That’s why we called upon Mallika Advani, independent art consultant and former head of Christies in India. She offers this guide to Mumbai's best art galleries, most of which are located in the southern Kala Ghoda and Colaba districts.

One of the oldest galleries in the country, Chemould Prescott Road pioneered shows by the Mumbai-based Progressive Artists Group, from which sprung some of India’s best-known modern artists.

“They are the only locally-based gallery from India to be included in the annual Art Basel show (in Switzerland),” says Advani.

“Their track record is incredible. Owners Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy pioneered shows by the first generation moderns like M. F. Husain, Ram Kumar and Tyeb Mehta, when they opened in the 1960s"

“Today the gallery is run by their daughter Shireen Gandy, who leans toward the contemporary scene. She’s been successful in tapping some incredible young talent and has recently shown a family of folk artists who bridge the divide between contemporary art and craft.”

Hot artists: Painter Jitish Kallat and oil and acrylic husband-and-wife painters Atul and Anju Dodiya

Queen's Mansion, 3rd Floor, Ghanshayan Talwatkar Marg, +91 (0) 22 2200 0211, Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm
www.gallerychemould.com 

This leading Mumbai art gallery offers artists large spaces to fill. Sakshi Art Gallery has enabled local artists to show large-scale installations in a city notoriously short on space.

“Their advantage really lies in their relationships with artists over a period of several years,” says Advani. “They’ve also started bringing international artists to India, and recently had a show by Julian Opie and a group of African artists.”

Hot artists: The works of Surendran Nair (paintings imbued with contemporary references such as graffiti and movie posters) and Ravinder Reddy (pop sculpture) are found in villas from Dubai to the South of France.

11A, Tanna House, Nathalal Parekh Marg, Colaba, +91 (0) 22 6610 3424, Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm
www.sakshigallery.com

Running one of the newest of Mumbai’s art galleries, intellectually cool husband-and-wife owners Mortimer Chatterjee and Tara Lal are young, enthusiastic operators with auction-house backgrounds and a trend-setting website.

“Even though they are one of the newer galleries in Mumbai, they’ve quickly become one of my favorites,” says Advani. “Both in terms of artists and exhibition display. Dealing with Mortimer and Tara is always a pleasure, as they’re young, knowledgeable and cutting edge.”

Hot artists: Focusing on installation and video art, Chatterjee & Lal have helped make Chitra Ganesh, Nikhil Chopra and Thukral & Tagra the Indian artists whose names are dropped at parties on the global art circuit.

1/18, 1st floor, Kamal Mansion, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba, + 91 (0) 22 2202 3787, Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm
www.chatterjeeandlal.com

It's old, respected and represents established painters such as Jogen Chowdhury, Krishen Khanna and Ram Kumar. Founded in 1963 by Dadiba and Khorshed Pundole, proprietors known for their knowledge of Indian art, Pundole is a cornerstone of the Mumbai art gallery scene. The gallery has recently ventured into new terrain with folk art and craft, yet it remains one of the few Mumbai art galleries where you can still find works of the ‘masters.’

“Consider yourself lucky if you walk into the gallery and find Dadiba Pundole at the desk with a cup of tea and a cigarette,” says Advani. “He’s a walking encyclopedia of Indian art.”

Hot artists: Renowned ink, watercolor and pastel painter Jogen Chowdhury and mythic painter and lithographer Sakti Burman

369 Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Fort, +91 (0) 22 2284 1837, Mon-Sat 11am-7pm
www.pundoleartgallery.in

“Project 88 is about very young, very raw talent,” says Advani about this gallery converted from an old mill. “You’ll see first-time showings by artists typically just out of school.”

Second-generation gallery owner Sree Goswami might show anything -- including a bull made of black garbage bags.

“Sree has managed to import the original spirit of her mother’s Gallery 88, based in Kolkatta, and set up a new space, Project 88, that caters very much to the Indian art of today.”

Hot artists: Bharti Kher (modern sculpture and wall panels) and husband Subodh Gupta (multi-media) are two of the most important names in contemporary Indian art.

BMP Building, Ground floor, N.A. Sawant Marg, near Colaba Fire Station, +91 (0)22 2281 0066, Monday 2-7pm; Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm
www.project88.in

editor's notes

Most Mumbai art galleries are closed on Sundays.

Shows typically change every four to six weeks.

Local listings can be found in most of the major dailies and online at MidDay newspaper's The Guide.