If you are a Bombayite, you will recall the time when you would visit Jehangir Art Gallery on Sundays, and complain about how puerile the art on display was. In the last few years, the art scene has changed significantly; one has a range of galleries in Colaba and Fort exhibiting young upcoming artists and established "masters," to choose from. But today, I did drop by Jehangir, and felt surprisingly refreshed.
For one thing it's great to have a gallery open on Sundays; all the trendy new ones in SoBo are closed (except for a couple). Most of us can't visit galleries during working hours. So that leaves the late evening art-openings, which no doubt are fun, with all the wine flowing, and Camy "jali wafers" being served in plates. But it's nice not to have to use your head too much, and not to have to read the explanation on the gallery wall (which often only succeeds in enhancing your confusion) as you enter, to better understand the exhibit.
It's comforting to have a relaxed stroll through the two halls, one hot and humid and the other air-conditioned. It's a capitalist world after all, and the have's and have-nots are part of art world too. The crowd wasn't snooty, and seemed to appreciate art that offended me.
The highlight of my visit was a series of paintings of trains; a very mundane subject that impressed me for being everything but ostentatious and intellectual. It's great when you don't need a reason to like art.
