Mumbai Diary: Thursday Dossier

Pic/Satej Shinde

Run for your bike

A man runs after a traffic policeman in a towing van as his motorcycle gets towed away in Thane.

The everyday nooks of Bombay

A photograph from Still Bombay taken in Worli. Pic Courtesy/Mayur Tekchandaney

The recent newsletter by Tara Books drew our attention to a particular publication that featured among books that took the longest time to see the light of the day. The e-letter enlists books that peer into South Indian kitchens, trails through Kadar forest and finally, mirrors Mumbai. Visual artist Mayur Tekchandaney elaborated on the beginning of Still Bombay - a book that came out in 2021. "It compiles years of photographs. I am a Khar boy. I have grown up in these parts and there was a point when I started feeling jaded with the city. That's when I stepped out in the mornings to walk around the city lanes and click pictures." The book is indeed a relaxing, timeless nudge.]

Also Read: Mumbai Diary: Tuesday Dossier

Mayur Tekchandaney

Art on our mind

Back editions of the magazine on display

While Editions JOJO - a library based in Mahim - has been supporting the visual art form since they started in 2019, their latest showcase is an apt throwback to the focus of art research in India. The space is currently showcasing back editions of the pioneering art magazine, Marg, which should be on the must-see list for art aficionados. "The kind of approach it had on art makes it an archive on the writings in this subject in India," Kaamna Patel, the library's founder told us. She added, "As a photobook library, we facilitate access to these back editions, which - we think - can inspire viewers and teach them a few things."

Reaching out to the world

(From left) Tasneem Zakaria Mehta; Judith Pinero, executive director; and Beth Citron, independent curator and part of the executive leadership of AAMC, photographed by Liz Ligon. Pic courtesy/AAMC & AAMC Foundation

It has been a quick trip to the Big Apple for Tasneem Zakaria Mehta. As managing trustee and director of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad City Museum, she was invited to deliver a keynote address at the 2023 Art Museum Curators Conference in New York earlier this week. "I showcased the work we have done at the museum, specifically the comprehensive restoration and revitalisation of the space through public programmes and exhibitions," Mehta shared. The Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) is one of the largest professional groups for art curators across the Americas, she remarked about her fifth keynote address. "International conferences such as these give immense publicity to the BDL Museum across the world," she shared with this diarist.

Phool's paradise in Dadar

Artist Magee poses with a guard in front of the mural. Pic courtesy/Instagram

If you visit the Dadar flower market, you may spot a gigantic mural spread across four buildings. It was painted by Australian artist Fintan Magee and a few local artists for the Mumbai Urban Art Festival that took place earlier this year. Applauding this month-long endeavour that ended recently, Peter Truswell, Australian Consul-General in Mumbai explained, "His work is a reference to flower vendors in Dadar, who are witness to the changing urban landscape of this fast-paced city." Magee who is known for being anonymous online, this time, posted a photo of himself with a new friend he made, in front of his work; but who knew, he could hide his face so well.

Thanda thanda paani for our strays

Bhumi Pednekar (right) at the event

Do you constantly carry a bottle of chilled water to beat the heat? We certainly do! But while we have plenty of options to cool ourselves this summer, the city strays may not. In an effort to make it a cooler summer for them, Youth Organization in Defence of Animals (YODA), an animal NGO based in Mumbai along with its sister organization, The Animal Care Organization (TACO), had introduced the #waterbowlchallenge recently. Kiran Makhija, head of marketing and fundraising, YODA, revealed, "We have placed nearly 500 terracotta and water cement bowls across Bandra West. The main purpose of this challenge is to create a ripple effect across the city." The two NGOs held a walkathon yesterday morning in the presence of actor Bhumi Pednekar. "Bhumi has been supporting YODA for years now. While YODA implemented this event in Mumbai, it was originally conducted by Harayana-based TACO," she continued. The event saw a huge crowd gathered early in the morning to support animal welfare. "With a name like Bhumi taking this ahead, we hope to see more citizens join us in creating a healthier environment for our strays," she signed off.