The inaugural session of the Art Deco Alive! Festival was held at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Byculla. It was attended by Mumbai civic commissioner Dr Bhushan Gagrani, Maharashtra Minister of Culture Ashish Shelar, museum’s Honorary Director Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, and Art Deco Alive! Founder and Mumbai Curatorial Director Smiti Kanodia. (PICS/ KIRTI SURVE PARADE)
Updated On: 2025-11-06 04:59 PM IST
Compiled by : Anushree Gaikwad
According to Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and founder of Dr BDL Museum, “In the 1930s, as Bombay rebuilt itself after plague, famine, and depression, the city embraced Art Deco as a symbol of modernity, health, and optimism. It shaped the city’s growing need for new residences, as well as spaces for leisure and entertainment”
The immediacy of the ideas, and their designs made them a part of everyday life. Other than structures like Eros Cinema and Regal Theatre buildings that became community hubs, the movement also influenced jewellery, fashion, furniture, art, and even cinema
The event will be helf from November 8 to 25 at Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum as well as other city venues. More information will be available on @artdecoalive; artdecoalive.org
The festival’s Mumbai edition brings together over 80 collaborators, including the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL), Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Art Deco Mumbai, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, and Gaylord restaurant
Following the inauguration, Shelar (right) said that the exhibition celebrates 100 Years of Art Deco architecture and highlights the shared heritage of two vibrant coastal cities — Mumbai and Miami — through rare artefacts, archival works and narratives that "honour our architectural masters and cultural legacy"
Beyond its cultural festivities, the event aims to spark dialogue about urban preservation
