Delhi Art Gallery in Mumbai

The Delhi Art Gallery DAG located in the capital is known for its collection of over 30000 works including masterpieces by artists from the Bengal School and artists from all over the country The gallery was started in 1993 and the collection took shape by 1996 Over the years DAG has held thematic exhibitions retrospectives and biannual shows where Indian modern art is showcased Its collection spans works that include early moderns European artists and the spectrum of Indian modernism from its genesis to high modernism and the works of modern masters whose careers have included the 21st century Their inaugural exhibition in the city Mumbai Modern is a retrospective of the Progressive Artistsrsquo Group PAG that originated here in 1947 Delhi Art Gallery at Kala Ghoda The exhibition is a celebration of Mumbai and features artworks by FN Souza SH Raza MF Husain KH Ara Tyeb Mehta Krishen Khanna Akbar Padamsee and others DAG also puts the spotlight on the lesserknown artists from the PAG including HA Gadeu00a0SK Bakre Mohan Samant and Bal Chhabda All artworks are on sale Why Mumbai Kishore Singh curator Delhi Art Gallery was clear about the choice of city ldquoMumbai is an important hub for art and culture and a natural fit for DAGrsquos large collection of 20th century Indian modern art We couldnrsquot think of any other city that would respond as positively to the DAG collection as Mumbai would The Mumbai art scene is vibrant and we hope to be part of it while also enhancing the viewer experience and culturerdquo An acrylic on canvas by MF Husain on display at the gallery One of the major challenges to set up the gallery was finding a suitable location especially since DAG required a space that would be in consonance with the nature and quality of its collection and exhibitions ldquoIt took us time to select the right location We are fortunate to be in Kala Ghoda in a standalone building that does justice to the art we are showingrdquo explains Singh Keeping the heritage intact Presently DAG is located in a multistorey heritage structure that is between 100 to 150 years old The ground and first floor consist of exhibition galleries that are reserved for the Mumbai Modern exhibition The second floor houses part of the galleryrsquos permanent collection and the gallery offices are also located on this floor Private lounges on the first and second floors have also been created specially for visitors The third floor has the galleryrsquos sculpture courtyardcumauditorium Renovating the space while ensuring the historicity of the structure was not lost was a task admits Singh ldquoA historic building offers several changes the most important of which is being faithful to the architecture of the building This is what took the design firm Morphogenesis oneandahalfyears to achieverdquo The work involved highlighting the facade and motifs from it were used to create patterns for the screens used for the private lounges inside ldquoFor the galleries we have retained only the main walls and a few windows that allow in a natural ambient light while the staircase becomes a design highlight The permanent collection is hung from panels that can be moved an innovation we have used earlier in our galleries in New Delhi The attic on the fourth floor is a lovely space for sculptures and for conducting talks and discussionsrdquo reveals Singh Till December 31 1030 am to 7 pm At Delhi Art Gallery Dr VB Gandhi Marg Kala Ghoda Fort Call 49222700 log on to wwwdelhiartgallerycom Look out for DAG intends to curate special shows for Mumbai and bring down exhibitions that have opened in New Delhi This includes iconic exhibitions of Indian Landscapes and Indian Portraits that track the history of these genres over three centuries The Printed Picture on four centuries of Indian printmaking artistsrsquo retrospectives as well as their biannual Manifestation series Also in the newsgtgt Satyam Collection the 37yearold greeting card and stationery store in Churchgate founded by Kalyanji Chedda is set to launch Art Gate an art gallery that will open on November 15 The 3000 sqft area art gallery will include an AV presentation lounge with CCTV camera units and will eventually host workshops and seminars on art photography pottery etc Their first exhibition will be a group show of 50 renowned as well as upcoming artists from all over India Artists Gautam Patole and Daxa Khandwala will host and curate the show u00a0