The vibrant spirit of Art Deco is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in Mumbai. The Art Deco Alive festival is a twin-city event honouring the 100th anniversary of the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the landmark 1925 Paris exhibition that gave the Art Deco movement its official name and identity.
Ocean Drive to Marine Drive: A Shared Architectural Legacy
A central highlight of the festival is the exhibition titled Ocean Drive to Marine Drive: Mapping a Century of Art Deco, on view at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum until 25 November. This showcase brilliantly illustrates the profound architectural kinship between Mumbai and Miami, the two cities that boast the world's largest collections of Art Deco-style buildings.
The exhibition allows visitors to draw connections between the two urban landscapes. It features visuals like the intricate bas-relief from the New India Assurance Building in Mumbai, created by sculptor N.G. Pansare between 1935-37, which depicted farmers and the working class. This is contrasted with sketches of Miami residences by architect Henry Hohouser, known for his stepped rooflines and 'eyebrow' windows.
Celebrating Deco Through Walks and Community Events
The festival is deeply rooted in community engagement, aiming to touch the core memories of Mumbai's residents. Art Deco Alive has organized a series of heritage walks, talks, and block parties that have already seen massive public participation.
Last weekend, scores of people gathered at Oval Maidan in the early morning to sketch the iconic Art Deco structures. A guided tour of the legendary Eros cinema also attracted a large crowd. More such curated walks are scheduled for the weekend of 15-16 November, including:
- Indo Deco at Shivaji Park with Nikhil Mahashur
- Deco Lives of Matunga led by Fiona Fernandez
- Deco by the Bay with Dr Anand Shroff
- Deco in Tilak’s Village spearheaded by Sandeep Dahisarkar
Indigenous Interpretations and Global Collaborations
The festival also highlights fascinating regional adaptations of the global Art Deco style. The exhibition points out how in the 1930s and 40s, building fronts in northern Mumbai began featuring fonts in Gujarati, Devanagari, and Urdu. Motifs like the goddess Laxmi, the sun, and the lotus were incorporated, giving the international style a unique indigenous character.
This is a truly collaborative effort. In Miami, the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL) is hosting a parallel show until 1 December, featuring memorabilia, furniture, and typography. This cross-continental partnership between MDPL and the Art Deco Mumbai Trust underscores the shared passion for preserving this rich design heritage. As co-founder Smiti Kanodia says, "The power of Art Deco Alive lies in the telling and sharing of stories. It hopes to touch a human chord."
