If you’ve lived in the city of Mumbai long enough, you know that the pace of the city can have you running and out of breath without an end in sight. The city is fast-paced and overwhelming, sure, but it’s also where if you stop and smell the roses, you discover the little nooks and crannies that uphold the culture and history of the city. It is at this intersection that art thrives. The vibrant, pulsating culture often finds expression in the art scene of the city, in the many galleries and spaces peppered around. This January, there’s plenty to watch, see and immerse yourself in. Check it out.
Mumbai Urban Art Festival (MUAF)
For 3 months, Mumbai Urban Art Festival (MUAF) will offer visitors a peek into Mumbai’s connection with the sea, its diverse communities, and hyper-local stories. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Mumbai Port Authority, St+art India Foundation has given Sassoon Docks an aesthetic makeover.
Not going to lie, the strong smell does assault your senses at the first go, but once you get past that, you discover how blind you’ve been to the many things the city has to offer. You know what they say about looking at the city with a tourist’s eye? MUAF allows you to do exactly that.
Dont miss: The landmark murals, experiential exhibitions, immersive installations, and community programs like walks, mixers, and talks.
Timings: Mon, Wed-Fri – 12 noon to 9 pm
Tue – Closed.
Saturday-Sunday – 11 am – 9 pm
Mumbai Gallery Weekend
It’s marked on people’s calendar in the city and the year’s edition of the Mumbai Gallery Weekend is from 12th to 15th January, 2023. Lots of galleries are involved, both established and young, situated throughout the city — in Colaba, Fort, Kala Ghoda, Ballard Estate, Worli, Lower Parel, Byculla and Bandra. Offering a fantastic opportunity to engage with the visual arts, the Mumbai Gallery Weekend includes painting, sculpture, photography, media art, installations and more.
Don’t miss: The Ice Factory Ballard Estate which will host a Young Collectors’ Weekend and DAG which will present a single work at their space in the Taj Mahal Hotel — the first-ever commissioned portrait by
Raja Ravi Varma.
From: January 12-15, 2023
Art and Charlie
Quickly occupying a place of pride in the city’s art scene, Art and Charlie plays gracious hosts to many events in January.
Participating venue for Art walk with Art and Wonderment for Bandra Steps Festival
Sunday, January 8
Curated Vinyl Listening Sessions (Last day of ‘The Garden of Icarus’ exhibit) by The Revolver Club
Sunday, 15 January
Dance performance commissioned by Art and Charlie for Mumbai Gallery Weekend – Bhooter Naach by Gia Singh Arora. A live movement and performance piece that reflects on the body in darkness.
Saturday, 21 January
Silent reading event with The Reading Social
And lots more.
Chemould CoLab
An offshoot of the coveted Chemould Prescott Road in Colaba, Chemould CoLab will have Rithika Pandey headlining their first exhibition of the year. The artist brings nine tableaus themed ‘Birth of Forgiveness. The colour palettes are subdued and compositions that have been scrupulously pared back.
Don’t miss: Her characters – plant-like superspecies and more than human entities – weep, bleed and eject.
Sakshi Gallery
Sakshi Gallery has the exhibition ‘A Room Of One’s Own’. Ankush Safaya, Teja Gavankar and Salik Ansari are the participating artists. The exhibition previews from Thursday, 12 January to 15 January 2023.
Timings: 11 am to 8 pm and will be on view till 22 Feb 2023