Jehangir Art Gallery (Saloni Gajjar)

As a visitor in the city, the first impression that one grasps of the Jehangir Art Gallery, is that of a shy and modest building flanked by trees, standing serenely in a corner of one of Mumbai’s arterial roads. As one walk towards its unadorned entrance, groups of foreign tourists flocking in for a glimpse of this ‘tribute-to-art’ monument is a sight galore. This austere building, designed by G.M. Bhuta has enthralled art lovers from around the globe, since its inception. It was built by the funding of the 2^nd Baronet, Sir Cowasji Jehangir, and inaugurated on the 21^st of January 1952 by the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr B.G. Kher. In fact, Sir Cowasji Jehangir as well as the earlier generations of his family was responsible for wholly or partly funding a number of reputed institutions in the vicinity such as the Elphinstone College. Just ten days after its inauguration, that is on 31^st January 1952, the then Governor of Bombay, Raja Maharaj Singh opened the inauguration exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, which was also the 61^st annual exhibition of Bombay Art Society.

The gallery is located at Kalaghoda, behind the Prince of Wales Museum, in south Mumbai near the Gateway of India and is managed by the Bombay Art Society. This building, being more than half a century old, underwent a renovation about two decades back to cater to the changing style of the art world. The Bombay Firm of Architects, Rahul Merhotra Associates were appointed for the project and they finished it promptly between the months of August and November of 1990. The Gallery now boasts two halls with state-of-the-art modern amenities, suitably equipped for exhibitions of the visual arts- the Auditorium has 2700 sq. ft. of floor area and 180 running feet of hanging wall space and the Exhibition Gallery, which can be divided into three sections and can be hired fully or section-wise, has a floor area of 3700 sq. ft. and 370 running feet of hanging wall space. A few other additions were also made during this renovation, such as the Dr. Homi Bhabha Art Reference Library was started for reference and research on visual arts. The library houses a collection of rare and valuable books on art and also subscribes to leading international art journals. A lending library of original works of art was also started with a collection of paintings donated by Sir Hirji Jehangir in 1975-76. A sales room of prints and publications was also established some years ago with the aim of providing gallery-goers with art publications and reproductions of outstanding merit published by various renowned publishers.

Apart from this, the Jehangir Art Gallery also functions as a very interactive body for art enthusiasts. Every so often, it organizes art appreciation courses that are open for public participation and are at affordable prices. They are aimed at strengthening the rapport between artists and the common public, mainly designed for laymen who enjoy art. The Gallery has also organised several programs on art appreciation, art history and art criticism. The Gallery also sponsors an annual exhibition known as the ‘Monsoon art show’ to showcase works of artists of proven merit. These are on a grand scale, visited by thousands of art lovers and great artists, making it a mega event. In fact, this year’s Monsoon show began on the 12^th of July and was a roaring success as always. A scheme of honouring senior artists of distinction through prestigious shows has also been initiated as a source of enjoyment and/or inspiration for art lovers and artists. The café Samovar on its premises which was started in 1966 has been a very integral part of the gallery.

As of now, that is, 31^st July, the exhibition gallery is showcasing the paintings of a veteran artist, Navin A. Dhagat. He is a Gujarati by birth, and is an Art Master trained in Fresco and Mural techniques. He has won hundreds of awards at various shows and also does a vast number of shows in various cities of India every year. His current exhibition portrays a mix of acrylic on paper and/or canvas.

In spite of all its splendour, the gallery does have some shortcomings. One of the main problems that it faces is an acute shortage of space for its own facilities and expansion plans. To address this problem, the gallery has launched different projects from time to time to augment funds without diverging from its objectives.

References: 

Jehangir Art Gallery Book.