The vibrant celebration of Art Deco currently sweeping through Mumbai has discovered an incredibly passionate audience at the iconic Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. A fresh installation, unveiled as part of the festivities, has unexpectedly become a major attraction, pulling in constant streams of visitors.
A City Rediscovers Its Deco Roots
Over the past week, the museum has witnessed a steady flow of eager visitors coming to explore the multi-layered narrative of the city's Art Deco legacy. Many attendees ended up spending significantly more time than they had planned, fully immersed in the experience. They were seen capturing photographs, creating sketches, and closely observing the intricate design motifs that often blend into the background during their daily travels.
One exhibit, in particular, has captured the public's imagination. An installation by the acclaimed artist Sameer Kulavoor has emerged as a clear favorite. Attendees are drawn to its modern and sharply insightful reinterpretation of classic Deco aesthetics, making it a central talking point.
The Passion Behind the Project
The driving force behind this city-wide movement is Smiti Kanodia, the founder of Mumbai Art Deco. She describes the initiative as a deeply personal endeavor. "It's a passion project," Kanodia reveals. "I feel grateful that at this age many of my personal life goals have been met, so now it's time to do something bigger and beyond myself."
Her long-standing connection to arts and culture provided the foundation. "I had the opportunity many years ago to publish about arts and culture, passion for the city, rootedness — all ideas I've grown up with," she says. Even while living and traveling abroad, her focus remained steadfastly on "what should happen back home."
The initial spark for Mumbai Art Deco ignited during a trip to Miami. "We happened to pass by this Art Deco museum on South Beach, and we were walking through the area — it felt like Marine Drive. We said, why not? We have similar heritage, but there's no storytelling around it," she recalls. This idea quickly took root, and a fortunate series of events, including the global celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Art Deco era, helped accelerate the project from a dream to reality.
Beyond the Museum Walls
The program's success at the museum is just one part of a much larger city-wide engagement. "We had a symposium three days ago, several walks across the city — today alone there were five walks from Matunga to Marine Drive," Smiti explains. The activities have been diverse, including specialized workshops for children, thought-provoking conversations, and lively evening events, all designed to attract a wide audience.
For Kanodia, the objective is clear and heartfelt: "The idea is to let people engage at different levels… feel excited about the city again, excited about where they live, care about it, and bring those conversations home."
To make Art Deco a tangible, lived experience across Mumbai, the project has activated the entire Churchgate stretch. Popular restaurants, from Pizza by the Bay to Nksha, are participating by curating special throwback menus and offering enticing weekend discounts. "The idea is not just architecture, but food and drink, sketching, walking, shopping," she elaborates. A special retail collection also features stores offering Deco-inspired furniture, jewellery, and fashion items.
Earlier in the season, the event made a splash in the fashion world by showcasing Deco-inspired Indian wear. It brought together celebrated design houses such as Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Manish Malhotra, Raw Mango, and Anamika Khanna.
As Smiti Kanodia perfectly sums it up, "Deco is an attitude. Before we decide whether we like it or not, let's just embrace and enjoy it — and see where it goes." Mumbai is certainly embracing it with open arms.
