A collective of art galleries in Worli, Byculla and Lower Parel will host guided walkthroughs by artists and curators this Friday, followed by a networking mixer
Akbar Padamsee, Man in Cityscape, oil on canvas
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In Kafka on the Shore, author Haruki Murakami defined artists as those who could evade the verbose. In Mumbai today, at every gallery you peep into, you'd find Murakami's statement to be true. But access to art is as important as the art itself. Perhaps only a collective spirit can break that barrier — the Mumbai Midtown Arts Collective (MMAC) is one such agent for change.
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"We want to create touchpoints for everything else that is happening in the country. The art world is an informal sector and there is no association to guide us through larger issues. But everyone passes through Mumbai. So, we have to balance these resources and energies," says Rashmi Dhanwani, who is helming MMAC along with Anupa Mehta.
Art Night Friday sees a mix of youngsters and art professionals
The initiative comprising art spaces based in Byculla, Worli, Dadar, Lower Parel, Parel and Mahalaxmi will host the first Art Night Friday of 2020 — a series of guided walkthroughs across galleries. The event kicks off with a visit to Nine Fish Art Gallery, the collective's latest entrant, where participants get to see Salamat Husain's exhibition Not Allowed as guided by Gourmoni Das. Then, viewers proceed to check out Arzan Khambatta's exhibit at Worli's Art & Soul, followed by Jugdement in the Trial of Akbar Padamsee at Priyasri Art Gallery.
Rashmi Dhanwani and Anupa Mehta
The evening will also see a visit to TAO Art Gallery where gallerists Kalpana and Sanjana Shah will speak about the ongoing display A Tribute to The Modern Masters that includes the works of Akbar Padamsee, Bal Chhabda, Krishen Khanna, MF Husain, Ram Kumar and SH Raza. The last stop is at Anupa Mehta Arts & Advisory in Lower Parel that is showcasing Sachin Tekade's solo Horizon: City & Space. But if you wish to engage with fellow participants, there's a networking mixer at The Runway Project nearby.
The group will comprise not just members of the art community but also varied professionals, and MMAC have worked towards diversification. As Mehta shares, "There are many young people and it's also a well-informed bunch. Earlier, we had to do a lot of explaining even to established buyers. It's a new opportunity to step out in the evenings other than just to grab a drink. You get to view the works of artists who were active in the '60s and '70s. So, it's nice to see how galleries lend themselves to a legacy."
At January 17, 5 pm onwards
Meeting point Nine Fish Art Gallery, near Rani Baug, Byculla.
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