Art, poetry, comedy, dance, films and food find a new address in Pali Village, inside a charming old villa
The space is designed in a way such that the installations can be cleared away during events. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar
Far from the swish art precinct of Colaba and Kala Ghoda, or the buzzing gullies of Khotachiwadi, this suburbanite writer found herself strolling down the cobbled streets of Pali Village on a sweltering morning, looking for Bandra’s new culture house. No jostling on the local train, no haggling with kaali peeli drivers, no crossing the Sea Link. A 15-minute auto ride from Santacruz, and we arrive at Ayesha Parikh’s new space — Art & Charlie. She’s quietly sipping on a morning cuppa, swinging her feet sitting on a lean wooden balcony when we reach. Housed in a typical Bandra home — burnt brick-red walls, large double-decker windows, hardwood floors et al — Art & Charlie wears a warmth akin to a friend’s home, where you leave all inhibitions at the door. But before you step in, pop by the hole-in-the-wall cafe by Subko, and grab a tart or a latte.
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Art of the matter
“The traditional, often elitist, white-cube gallery space is not my vibe. I know there are many other art lovers like me. So, this space breaks away from the clean gallery feeling,” points out Parikh. The culture space is the curatorial service’s first permanent address since it started out in 2020 to bring art out of conventional galleries. As we settle down in her tiny cubicle, filled with art and sunshine, Parikh, a CA-turned-art-curator, recalls declaring her dream to work with art way back in the ninth grade. “But I got into the rut of life. I completed my CA, worked with McKinsey, travelled the world, but I wasn’t happy,” shares the 35-year-old, who went on to upskill herself at Sotheby’s and Node Center for Curation Studies, before quitting her London job.
Spread across 1,100 sq ft and two floors, the interiors double up as an art gallery and a performance venue, which has been hosting talks, music and dance recitals, film screenings, and comedy gigs since it opened doors this month. The debut exhibition, Kal, captures the cyclical nature of time. It features works by artists Shad Fatima, Meghna Singh Patpatia, Nachiket Prakash, Arvind Sundar and Saviya Lopes. “I wanted to speak about how time is cyclical in India, unlike in the West, where it’s linear. I also wanted to pay ode to contemporary art, and artists becoming the vanguard of our species,” explains Parikh.
The culture house features a hole-in-the-wall cafe
From Prakash’s play with pages of old diaries and the internal eccentricities of Fatima’s talkative portraits, to Lopes’ negotiations with gender, consent and menstrual capitalisation, the artworks will make you “curious and curiouser”. Much like the familiar Alice in Wonderland quotes that dot the walls.
Taking culture home
The culture house has a packed calendar of events that resonate with Kal. On the itinerary next is a talk between Shrayana Bhattacharya, author of Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India’s Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence, and journalist Supriya Nair; film screenings by Kriti Film Club; a stop-motion animation workshop by Mitali Panganti; a one-day craft picnic to Juhu Beach Studio, and more.
Ayesha Parikh
Long after soaking in the exhibition, we find ourselves lingering at the gift shop under the staircase. Zines, totes, postcards, comics, prints and artsy knick-knacks occupy the shelves, with prices ranging between Rs 100 and Rs 22,500.
Gift shop
“I know that most seasoned art collectors prefer heading to the art district — Fort or Colaba — but the idea of the gift shop is to inspire new people to come in. Even if you are a student, you can buy a print or a postcard, and then see how it feels to own that piece of art,” she explains. It is also the reason why Parikh decided to set up shop in Bandra, away from the art hub of SoBo. “I wanted to do something for art-lovers who live on this side of town, too. One of the things I love about Bandra is that it’s a true melting pot of communities and people who hail from different places. And that’s where culture should be born,” Parikh reminds us.
Till: December 4 (ongoing exhibition); Tuesday to Sunday; 11 am to 8 pm
At: 71A, Pali Village, Bandra.
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