From seven islands to a city of 20 million, Bombay (now Mumbai) has been shaped over centuries by political, economic, and social forces. From Koli fisherfolk to colonial planners, and from Bollywood stars to textile barons, many have shaped the western Indian city's landscape and identity. The city is ever-evolving, the past giving way to the future, birthing new guises and blurring the old. From fishing nets to ports and mills to malls, Bombay has constantly reinvented itself and remained a city in flux.
A new exhibition 'Bombay Framed' charts the city's shape-shifting passage through the centuries using a stunning array of paintings, photographs, and multimedia prints. More than 100 images spanning three centuries have an extraordinary range that document the city in its full diversity from the elite worlds of Zoroastrian merchants and cinema stars to the working-class lives of ordinary citizens.
Together they invite us to see the city itself as a kind of artwork: layered, complex, and made up of many different experiences, Gyan Prakash, curator of the exhibition, told the BBC. Key moments in Bombay's transformation include the reclamation projects of the 1830s and '40s, the dismantling of fort walls in the 1860s, and the construction of the Art Deco Marine Drive in the 1920s.
Historically, the city has existed with significant contrasts, such as luxury towers alongside shantytowns. This exhibition seeks to encapsulate not just the architecture and infrastructure of the city, but also the stories of its inhabitants, showcasing the diverse communities that contribute to Bombay's identity. The exhibition reflects on the city's dual narrative; it's known as both Bombay and Mumbai, a reflection of its colonial past and rich cultural tapestry.
A new exhibition 'Bombay Framed' charts the city's shape-shifting passage through the centuries using a stunning array of paintings, photographs, and multimedia prints. More than 100 images spanning three centuries have an extraordinary range that document the city in its full diversity from the elite worlds of Zoroastrian merchants and cinema stars to the working-class lives of ordinary citizens.
Together they invite us to see the city itself as a kind of artwork: layered, complex, and made up of many different experiences, Gyan Prakash, curator of the exhibition, told the BBC. Key moments in Bombay's transformation include the reclamation projects of the 1830s and '40s, the dismantling of fort walls in the 1860s, and the construction of the Art Deco Marine Drive in the 1920s.
Historically, the city has existed with significant contrasts, such as luxury towers alongside shantytowns. This exhibition seeks to encapsulate not just the architecture and infrastructure of the city, but also the stories of its inhabitants, showcasing the diverse communities that contribute to Bombay's identity. The exhibition reflects on the city's dual narrative; it's known as both Bombay and Mumbai, a reflection of its colonial past and rich cultural tapestry.
