05 July,2026 12:52 PM IST | Mumbai | Tanisha Banerjee
Art Buffs at Institute of Contemporary Indian Arts gallery with Sudip Bhattacharya (extreme left)
In a city where new exhibitions, performances, and cultural events open almost every week, keeping up with Mumbai's art scene can be overwhelming. But for more than 250 art lovers across the city, all it takes is opening WhatsApp.
What began as a conversation between a handful of strangers on an art walk has evolved into one of Mumbai's most active informal art communities. The Art Buffs WhatsApp group brings together artists, architects, entrepreneurs, finance professionals, retirees, photographers, and first-time gallery visitors, united by the shared passion of art and culture.
For 67-year-old Sudip Bhattacharya, one of the group's earliest members, art entered his life only after decades in the corporate world. "I have been a numbers guy all my life," he says, "I was working for a corporation and never had time for art. One day, in my office building, I happened to meet the owner of a major art auction house, who introduced me to art walks in Mumbai. That's how it started."
Those walks changed everything. "I came to know about the finer nuances of art. I met people, and some became friends for life. Art gives me peace," he says.
The idea for the WhatsApp group emerged just before the pandemic, during one such art walk in Lower Parel. A small group of participants, including an architect, wondered why there wasn't a space where people interested in art could stay connected even after the walks ended. "It started with just four or five people," Bhattacharya recalls, "Everybody began adding friends who would be interested in art. We had no age groups or criteria. Soon artists and gallerists joined too. Today, we have a family of over 250 people."
Unlike many online communities, Art Buffs has stayed focused. Discussions are limited to art and the group tries to let the chat wander around unrelated topics. "When I say art, I don't just mean paintings," Bhattacharya explains, "We discuss music, performance, photography, architecture - everything. Around 30 to 40 members regularly share information about new exhibitions and cultural happenings in the city."
The conversations frequently move offline. Members meet at exhibition openings, attend gallery walks together and often end the day over dinner and drinks, turning shared interests into lasting friendships. "Some people have even fallen in love through our group," Bhattacharya laughs.
Artist Shanthi Kasiviswanathan, who also goes by Kasi, has witnessed the group's journey almost from the beginning. Having taken up painting in her forties, she met Bhattacharya during one of the Mumbai Gallery Association's art walks. After her first solo exhibition at Artisans in 2019, she was invited to join the group. "It was quite a small group back then," she says, "It was just friends getting together."
Over the years, she has watched it grow into an inclusive community that keeps members informed about everything happening in Mumbai's cultural landscape. "Initially we'd share information about what's happening in the city regarding art and culture, and that helped the group flourish," Kasi says, "Not everyone is active, but that's okay. This group is nobody's group; it isn't about ownership. We are just all part of it."
Interestingly, Kasi says she rarely shares her own artworks on the platform.
"I find it more interesting to speak to the non-artistes in the group," she says, "They take such an active interest in art and culture that they become committed to a community. There are engineers, entrepreneurs, finance professionals, and so many others. It has become an informal guidance space as well."
That spirit of appreciation is more important to Bhattacharya than ever in an era where social media often reduces creativity to a product. "Today, art is sold like a commodity," he says, "But art is somebody's passion and vision. An artiste goes through years of training before expressing that through their work. When it becomes only about making a quick buck, art suffers. This group is one way of keeping that passion alive."
Contact to join the group: +91 96191 67153 (Sudip Bhattacharya)
