It may no longer be the art precinct it was for over 45 days last year, but its story now intrigues more Mumbaikars than it ever did. Learn all about the life at Sassoon Docks on a curated tour
When Swedish tennis champ Stefan Edberg was in Mumbai last month, he signed up for a walking tour of the city with his wife. While they visited the Gateway of India, CSMT and Crawford Market among other popular tourist destinations, what was also part of their itinerary was the Sassoon Docks. One of the largest fishing markets in Mumbai, which dons a quiet, sleepy vibe after the early-morning hullabaloo of selling fresh catch from the sea, it was as unknown to most Mumbaikars as it was to a first-time visitor to the city.
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Then came St+art India's Sassoon Docks Art Project in November last year, and things changed. With over 30 Indian and foreign artists, who made it their canvas, the area acquired a buzz of another kind where people from across Mumbai made their maiden visit to the Sassoon Docks to gaze at artworks inspired by the resident fishing community and its life. The art project ended on December 30, but not before it had opened up the city to its own forgotten gem. This weekend, St+art India will organise a curated tour to give an insider's perspective on how the artworks for the project were created. Architect and St+art team member Mihir Thakkar will also take participants through the murals and a few installations that still remain at the docks, while also talking about the life of the fishing communities settled there for generations.
"The idea is to give a glimpse of the social and economic structure of the Sassoon Docks, and how it actually functions, which is not necessarily in the context of the exhibition," says Giulia Ambrogi, co-founder and curator of St+art India. "For instance, there are the resident Maratha, Banjara and Koli communities, but there are also other vendors who offer their services to these residents, and are part of the life at the docks," she adds.
Mihir Thakkar, Giulia Ambrogi (above)
Thakkar recalls how it took the communities some time to open up to them. "For the mural, which depicts profile pictures of the residents, for example, we had to really convince them to get photographed. But by the last month, they had grown comfortable around us," he says.
Ambrogi shares how things are gradually changing at the docks. "People are now stimulated by the potential of the space they live in, and are maintaining it in a much more hygienic condition. There is also better traffic control and the truck parking facilities have improved in the neighbourhood. There's even an NGO that sets up a medical camp every fortnight now," she says. "When you train the spotlight on something, others take over."
ON March 18, 10 am to 12 noon meeting point Sassoon Docks clock tower, Colaba.
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