Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V Curating

Abhijeet Tamhane

The New Year gets older just as your cell phone warns, 'message memory almost full', and you delete those good wishes. You then keep some, delete many.  And if your network is OK, you are ready for newer messages. Another message, that is, worthy to be deleted. The question is why does one keep some. Just because you have a new cell phone model with ample of message memory? Well, there is some auto-curating involved in the process.

If we take the metaphor still further, 2007 was the year Mumbai negotiated with its spaces for art. The art gallery map of Mumbai changed, and is still changing. In 2008, the "Kamal Mansion" building is destined to have its name known to more art-crazy mumbaikars than it was to the Lonely Planet-wielding-(phirnag)- backpackers. Though the charms of Kamal Mansion as an art space were first discovered by Gallery Chatterjee & Lal, there are three more galleries to be found here in coming months.

Last year, it was the big shift of Sakshi Gallery (to the Colaba venue at Tanna House) and the closure of operations of Chemould Gallery from the "Jehangir upstairs" address for Gallery Chemould (they became Chemould Prescott Road, and went up the old lift, to 4th floor), heralded the changing geography of art spaces. Last month, it was Bodhi Space, a pleasant surprise in the docklands of Mumbai. Bodhi Space opened with an artist who would augme any given space with an appeal of the 'alternative' : Valsan Koorma Kolleri. This 'space' near to the Princess Docks gate is the only building put to a gentrified use. Reaching the gallery and responding to Valsan's invitations to the spaces within, made an unforgettable experience. This is not your place to party, I thought, it's rather a place to be alone.

Coming back to the 'Message Memory Almost Full" rhetoric, more galleries and more spaces for art would not necessarily mean more storages. It would also mean more curating, and a subsequent increase in laments over Mumbai's 'market-driven curators'. Or they will not, in 2008! Going by the numbers of "artist-curated shows" and many more previews before the works embark for an international venue (Jitish Kallat even did a re-view of his works that were back from their international viewing), Mumbai will not need more curators. It will have its auto-curating impulses on the go!

So, let's hope the New Year is happier.