A far cry from the compulsively white walls and swish polish of conventional Mumbai galleries, Interim Space is the newest addition to the city’s artscape. Run by two 25-year-olds, the floating art space — which seeks to inhabit temporarily available locations — has found its first home in a hidden pocket of Worli, in an old warehouse-like structure. Bearing the remnants of its past — as a TV news channel’s studio — the space opened its doors to art-makers and art-lovers last week. Their first exhibition: Content, by artist Tara Kelton.

The DIY way

The inspiration behind this edgy, alternative art space is rooted in founders Yaazd Contractor and Simran Ankolkar’s art school years in Chicago. “There, we had a multi-disciplinary exposure to the world of art, which left a huge impression on us, and we were keen to broaden the definition of art here in Mumbai,” Contractor shares, pointing to the culture of DIY art spaces that’s popular in the American city. They’re young, dynamic and often put together by groups of friends for other young artists. “When we came back to Mumbai during the pandemic, we realised that it lacks an art space that’s not institutionalised, or not run by folks who are already settled in their careers,” he explains, while Ankolkar adds, “We didn’t come across places that are helmed by younger artists, who themselves are trying to build their practices.”