Mumbai Hosts Exhibition On The Art Deco Movement That Left Its Timeless Legacy In The City

Mumbai: Mumbai’s architectural heritage is an eclectic blend of styles from across the world. One of these is Art Deco that emerged at the Paris Industrial Exposition in 1925. Mumbai is reported to have the second largest collection of Art Deco buildings in the world, after Miami in the United States.

An exhibition that starts today celebrates Mumbai’s Art Deco heritage. Organised by Art Deco Alive!, Art Deco Mumbai Trust and Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum as knowledge partners and collaborators, the exhibition, titled ‘From Marine Drive to Ocean Drive’ traces the evolution of Mumbai’s Art Deco and its endurance in its centenary year.

Using multimedia, archival photographs, oral history narratives, and a display of rare artefacts and furniture from private collections, the exhibition has been curated by Atul Kumar, founder trustee of Art Deco Mumbai Trust. The exhibition debuted in Miami before travelling to Mumbai.

Art Deco influenced architecture, interior designs, furniture styles, neon lights, art, alphabet fonts, sartorial fashion, and even cinema posters. To explain the legacy of the style, the event will host a museum show, speaker series; guided walks, screenings; a cinema tour; events on fashion, jewellery and interiors; and workshops in sketching, typography, jazz, along with spotlights on interpretations of the style in contemporary design and architecture.

During the inauguration on Wednesday, Ashish Shelar, minister of information technology and cultural affairs, said that when society begins to engage with its built environment — to see how walls and materials tell stories and bear witness to history — that is when true heritage appreciation begins. “Beyond being a connection from Mumbai to Miami, there is a third ‘M’ that holds great significance — the ‘Marathi Manus’. Mumbai represents the best of everything — a city that has always shown courage and provided a roadmap to the world.”

Bhushan Gagrani, Mumbai’s municipal commissioner, pointed out that the city is among the first in the country to have a heritage committee. “Every city is undergoing a transformation in terms of infrastructure, giving it a modern and contemporary character. Preserving our city is not a challenge but a collective responsibility. The legacy of Art Deco should be an indispensable part of a new, modern, and contemporary Mumbai. We must protect our precincts for the sake of Art Deco and the cultural identity it represents,” said Gagrani.

Smiti Kanodia, founder, Art Deco Alive!, said that Mumbai’s skyline is changing, high-rises, infrastructure and urban development. “But the true value of a city lies in the spaces that carry soul, culture, and history. These are the places that people feel rooted to — the ones they want to call home,” said Kanodia.

Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and director, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, said that the museum, formerly the Victoria and Albert Museum and the city’s oldest, has witnessed the changes and transformations the city has undergone. “Today it stands as a guardian of its culture and heritage. This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the significance of the city’s Art Deco buildings and the shared responsibility of preserving this legacy we have inherited,” said Mehta.

‘From Marine Drive to Ocean Drive’

November 7 to 25

10 am to 5:30 pl ( all days except Wednesdays)

Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Special Projects Space and Museum Plaza,

Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical T and Zoo, Byculla.

The word ‘Art Deco’ comes from the title of the 1925 Paris design show: Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes.

Associated programmes

Twin City Symposium

November 13, Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Education Centre

Churchgate Street Rewind

November 7 to 16, Block party on architecture, culture, cuisine, and community. Heritage walks, cinema tour of Eros cinema, and culinary explorations

Deco Walks:

November 8, 9, 15, and 16

Heritage tours across Mumbai’s Art Deco neighbourhoods, curated by Art Deco Alive!

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