From Residences To Ice Factories: The Changing Face Of Indian Art And Culture Spaces

The Indian art scene is always evolving. With more artists than ever working across traditional, experimental, and contemporary new media and a growing number of galleries catering to a global market, the art scene — once confined to the private collections of the upper echelons of Indian society — now occupies increasingly public spaces. Forward-looking and mindful of India's rich and diverse artistic, cultural, and architectural heritage, the new and democratised art scene now builds on and breaks away from the already-established norms and traditions of Indian Art.

From an art and culture space in a restored 20th-century family residence in Kolkata to a multi-disciplinary arts, architecture, and design laboratory in a repurposed colonial-era ice factory, here are five venues across the country that are reinventing India's art and cultural spaces:

Founded in 2006 by mother-daughter duo Usha Mirchandani and Ranjana Steinruecke, Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke has been a mainstay in India's contemporary art scene since then. Today, the gallery represents some of India's most sought-after artists such as Ratheesh T., Sosa Joseph, Benitha Perciyal, and Gauri Gill.

In 2022, the gallery moved to a larger space in Ballard Estate, Mumbai's heritage district; and in 2024, the gallery opened a new location in New Delhi's central Defence Colony neighbourhood. The 2,000 square feet space opens with 'Everness: After Jorge Luis Borges' — an exhibition of paintings and drawings by Kerala-based artist Aji V.N.

Follow the gallery here.

The city of Jaipur, founded in 1727 by Maharaja Jai Singh II, has a long history of royal patronage of the arts and crafts — from marble and pottery to textiles, jewellery, painting and carving. As the Mughal empire dwindled, many of the miniature artists once employed by the Mughals found a new home in the royal court of Jaipur.

The Jaipur Centre for Art — a collaboration between Padmanabh Singh, scion of the former royal family, and contemporary art specialist Noelle Kadar — is a continuation of the city's rich artistic legacy and cultural heritage. Housed in the historic Friends of the Museum building in the City Palace, Jaipur, the Centre opens with 'A New Way of Seeing' — a group exhibition curated by Peter Nagy.

Follow Jaipur Centre for Art here.

Sarmaya Arts Foundation's new location in Fort, Mumbai, is located within the 146-year-old Lawrence & Mayo building on Dr. Dadabhai Naoroji Road. The heritage space, once home to a bank, has been meticulously restored by Pavitra Rajaram Design and features imposing Burma teak trusses, cast-iron columns, and exposed Malad stone façades. The space will serve as a home to the Foundation's diverse collection of coins, maps, archival photographs, documents, historical and contemporary art objects, as well as over 15,000 books, and host lectures, walkthroughs, exhibitions, and workshops from December 2024.

Follow Sarmaya Foundation here.

Founded by siblings Varun and Natasha Thapar in 2024, TRI is the newest addition to Kolkata's contemporary art scene. An homage to the melting pot of creativity and the vibrant, diverse cultural heritage that makes Kolkata the cultural capital of India, the multidisciplinary art and culture centre is housed in a historic 20th-century residential property in Ballygunge belonging to the Thapar family. TRI is eponymously named after the heritage building's unique triangular shape and a wordplay that invites visitors to try, explore, and engage with the arts.

Follow TRI here.

IF.BE — an architecture, design, and arts space housed in one of South Asia's oldest ice factories — is an outstanding example of adaptive reuse.

The 145-year-old abandoned ice factory, believed to have been the first steam-powered ice production factory in India, is located in a pivotal location in the heritage precinct of Ballard Estate and was once an intrinsic part of the trade network in the region due to its proximity to both the rail and maritime connectivity. It was repurposed into a contemporary space for architecture, design, and the arts by architect Kamal Malik and engineer Abhijeet Mitra in 2022.

Follow IF.BE here.

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