A 3,000-sq-ft gallery, Tarq, opened in Colaba with celebrated photographer Clare Arni's Disappearing Professions of Urban India on display
While art lovers are spoilt for choice at Colaba and the neighbouring Kala Ghoda sub- precinct, there always seems to be room for more. It’s evident with the opening of Tarq, the latest gallery to open its shutters at Colaba. The new gallery spans 3,000-sq-ft and is spread across the ground and first floors. Tarq in Sanskrit stands for discussion, abstract reasoning, logic and cause. The contemporary art gallery is dedicated to enabling a conversation around art from a diverse range of contexts.
A Tinner in Delhi; copper can react with acidic foods causing toxins. In such workshops, pots are tinned on the inside. With the coming of stainless steel vessels, this profession is vanishing.
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Gallery talk
Gallery director Hena Kapadia elaborates, “The idea of this gallery is to be open to conversation, and to be a space where artist, collector, critic and art enthusiasts can learn and grow together. The intention is to have a space where different voices can be heard, and a sense of context and history can be developed.”
Dhobi Ghat in Bangalore; there are 40 permanent members. With the introduction of washing machines their work is getting less and less.
She adds that they wish to encourage a constant dialogue between the viewer and the artist and work with newer artists and collectors. “A clear sense of the artist’s thought and an insight into his practice are essential in choosing works for me. The influence of the artist’s larger context on the art, and how that is effectively expressed in the work is also essential to an artwork,” elaborates Kapadia.
Quri Mohd Yaqub in Delhi is a calligrapher. Arni recounts that he sat with his legs tucked under him and sang his answers to her questions.
Offering some location trivia, she states that the gallery, located in Dhanraj Mahal, is one of Mumbai’s iconic Art Deco buildings. “It was built in the 1930s and was the former palace of the Raja Dhanrajgir of Hyderabad. It was designed by the architectural firm of Gregson, Batley and King, and is now home to several commercial enterprises as well as private residences. Having housed the British Navy in World War II, the building has recently been restored to its former glory,” she informs.
Bangalore to Mumbai
The first exhibition to grace the gallery is Clare Arni’s collection of images featuring the country’s vanishing occupations. Kapadia met Arni in Bangalore and loved her photos and the thoughtful archive that she had created. The exhibition has 50 images on display. All are digital photographs, some are on paper and a few are printed on canvas.
Tarq gallery in Colaba is spread across 3,000-sq-feet
The UK-born and Bangalore-based photographer says that she stumbled upon the subject of her latest exhibition, titled Disappearing Professions of Urban India: “I was working on the subject of urban change, and I found that this was a good way to document the changing face of the urban geography of India.” Arni, a professional photographer for over 25 years in India, shot these works over a span of six years.
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