Dana Awartani, Octahedron Within a Cube from The Platonic Solids Duals series, 2016, Shell gold, ink and pencil on paper, 59.5 x 59.5 cm

Courtesy: The Artist and Chemould Prescott Road

Established by Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy in Mumbai in 1963, Chemould was one of the first exhibition spaces in India to focus on modern and contemporary art by the country’s most prominent artists. Through its online viewing rooms, artist projects and presence in global fairs and programs, Chemould is at the forefront of international art platforms.

Chemould has played a pivotal role in the early careers of many leading artists, including S. H. Raza, Tyeb Mehta, Bhupen Khakhar, Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya and L.N. Tallur, among others. Through its institutional collaborations, Chemould has coordinated the mid-career retrospectives of artists like Jitish Kallat, NS Harsha and Mehlli Gobhai. In conjunction with its exhibitions, Chemould shares the work of its artists with audiences worldwide through catalogs and monographs, providing unique access to their oeuvres.

Through its wide-range programming the gallery has also introduced important women artists who stand as crucial feminist voices in Indian art, including Mithu Sen, Pushpamala N, Shakuntala Kulkarni, Shilpa Gupta, Nilima Sheikh, Varunika Saraf and Reena Kallat. These important figures confront aspects of today’s socio-political landscape in their work. The programme also focuses on Desmond Lazaro, Aditi Singh, Bijoy Jain and Lavanya Mani, who present a range of investigations and approaches to material.

In 2007, the gallery moved to a large loft-like space in a historic building on Prescott Road. Under the current directorship of Shireen Gandhy, Chemould has placed works in various museum collections including the Guggenheim Foundation, the Tate Modern, M+, The Art Institute of Chicago, and more.

Now in its sixth decade, Chemould plays a vital role in India’s contemporary art landscape. It holds a robust program, and supports and showcases the careers of some of the most influential artists and estates from across the country.