31 July,2025 08:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-day
Pic/Ashish Raje
A group of workers take a break from the construction work at Balkumbh in Thane
The department store's unique signage has been a centre of attraction. Pic/Shadab Khan
With Churchgate's iconic Asiatic department store downing its shutters for renovation as this newspaper had reported on Wednesday, we were curious to decode the story behind the interesting signage that welcomed its customers for years. We reached out to Tanya George (right), type designer and an alumna of Sir JJ School of Art for a quick analysis.
"As a student, I always enjoyed watching the sign while passing by since it had an unusual design choice," shared George. "From using an acrylic, metal base, to the high-waisted, mixed case lettering, and adding a touch of Devanagari at the corner, the store exudes a fun and approachable vibe, giving it a geometric and constructive look. It almost makes me feel as if it was made specifically for Asiatic, making it stand apart from the other stores," she informed, summing up our vibe.
Vidushi Anuradha Pal. Pic courtesy/@anuradhapaltabla
Opening this Friday, an exhibition, The Painted Prayer, will bring the many forms and artistic perspectives of Mumbai's favourite deity to the Floor One art gallery in Juhu. Gallerist Bhadresh Sheth (above) shared, "The works communicate how these artists perceive Ganesha."
The exhibition is made more memorable with vidushi Anuradha Pal presenting a unique tabla jugalbandi to celebrate Lord Ganesha by playing multiple tablas. "He [Bhadresh] is an old friend, and knew that I had done a lot of collaborative work with my mother Ila Pal [also a painter]. He requested me, and I immediately agreed," she told us.
Bandra's skyrocketing rents have spared no one. The newest in line to go under, this diarist learnt, is the zine hub Fluxus Chapel on Chapel Road. "Ours is a participatory module where makers price their work and get back all the money, no profit kept back. All of us collectively share the rent. We are fundraising to find a similar space as the rents have gone up," said founder Himanshu S. Patrons have until August 12 to stock up before a bittersweet farewell.
Riddhi Joshi with a collection of Indian games at the conference. PIC COURTESY/Museo La Tanguilla
Recently, Riddhi Joshi, assistant professor (History) at KJ Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, received an invitation from Museo La Tanguilla, a toy museum in Spain, to present a paper on the theme Traditional Games and Heritage. "My paper, Traditional Games of India: Gender and Identity was about games played as Indian wedding rituals, and influenced by gender, caste and community," she summed up.
A section of the unfinished artwork. Illustration courtesy/Zarin Amrolia
Zarin Amrolia (right) is a watercolourist committed to celebrating her Parsi heritage through her art, and has been showcasing her culture. In her recent collection, Soul of Fire, she has honoured Muncherji Edulji Joshi, Dadar Parsi Colony's founder.
"I plan to finish the painting and upload it on his 156th birthday (August 12). It is a celebration of his life and work," she shares. Check out her works at @zarin.amrolia.
