Worli's Westmore to host art exhibition for the first time

Art collector and entrepreneur Sangita Sinh Kathiwada in the foyer of Westmore which will host an exhibition this month PicPradeep DhivarReclining with marked poise on a plush low settee in her living room Sangita Sinh Kathiwada now occupies the space once owned by the late Jehangir Nicholson It was more than a decade ago that Kathiwada frequented Westmore then Nicholsons house in Worli as much as her elderly friend dropped by Melange the multidesigner boutique she opened in 1993Displaced Lullabies 20162017 by Aslam MdOn one such visit at Westmore over tea and cakes that the gentlemanly Nicholson had ordered from Willingdon Club Kathiwada was posed with an odd request which could have well been a polite order He asked me to buy the house I hesitated initially as the house needed a lot of repair However Jhangu Bhai as Nicholson was fondly called was keen that his house should go to someone who loved art as much as he did rather than a builder or a corporate who would be sure to tear down the structure says KathiwadaConcrete shelter 2017 by Shiva GorAfter much consideration Kathiwada bought Westmore and adopted Nicholsons wish She repaired and restored the fourstoreyed structure which gently entices with its Art Deco balconies windows and spiralling stairs It upholds the memory of Nicholson who owned a fine and substantial collection of Indian art especially the Modernists his trust coowns Westmore even todayKathiwadas connoisseurship is worth noticing too This member of Madhya Pradeshs Kathiwada Royal Family has an evergrowing collection with her preference for the earthy tones of Jagdish Swaminathan and Rameshwar Broota dominating it As we scan the interiors of Westmore today it is luxurious as would be fitting a princess but its resplendence is cut through by the near austerity of the paintings and drawings that grace its wallsSharing is importantFrom one art collector to another Westmore has become a stronghold for discerning taste and will host its first ever art exhibition this month Worlibased gallerist Priyasri Patodia who is incidentally Kathiwadas niece is set to showcase an offsite exhibition of sculptures and installations by ten young artists here The exhibition Spaces and Traces is curated by Pronoy Chakraborty and uses both Nicholson and Kathiwadas collections and Westmores architectural facets as pivotal points The exhibition follows close on the heels of Archival Dialogues also curated by Chakraborty and shown by Priyasri Art Gallery in which young Barodabased artists responded to fashion designer James Ferreiras antiquated bungalow at KhotachiwadiI like the idea of art being viewed outside a white cube space Surrounded by an architectural space or nature there is the possibility of engaging with it differently says Kathiwada For me it was an organic decision when Priyasri approached me with the idea to show the exhibition here It is very concrete for her she knows which works are going to be installed where says Kathiwada beckoning our attention to the foyer beyond the patio windows Here mixed with the verdant surroundings and cascading vines the foyer will turn into a popup sculpture garden during Spaces and Traces It is a refined and intelligent collectors responsibility to allow these supporting exhibitions to happen in the country and make it a vibrant art scene she adds as we stroll around the foyer Imagine she says visitors being able to drop by Westmore a residential space without appointment and enjoy artworks hereSharing thats an important word she says In the same spirit Kathiwada will host an exhibition themed around Mumbais rich Art Deco heritage later this year The exhibition will draw from her fascination for Art Deco with its design principles having found their way into her life beyond just Westmore She often chooses to accessorise with jewellery and handbags that are Art Decoinspired as also stock products with similar aesthetics at Melange She calls Art Deco her most favourite design movement Its timeless she saysIn fact Spaces and Traces is intended as a prequel to that larger exhibition with more to follow These prequels will venture further into the Westmore interiors There are plans in place Kathiwada tells us to expand public access to the ground floor of Westmore while their residential quarters will shift upstairs As our stroll comes to an end we notice three existing sculptures in the foyer two of which are by the noted sculptor Pilloo Pochkhanawala Another one a more classical figurative piece peeks out from behind some boughs That one is Jehangirs I have retained it here in memory of him says KathiwadaWhat Spaces and Traces A Prequel to Embracing ModernityWhere Westmore Pochkhanwala Road Worli When March 24 to April 3 10 am ndash 2 pm closed on SundayCall 9323582303Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday 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