Desmond Lazaro, The Moons of Chartres II, 2021, pigment paint and raised gild on cotton cloth on birch board, 130 x 130 cm

Courtesy: Chemould Prescott Road and the artist

Established by Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy in Mumbai in 1963, Chemould is one of the first exhibition spaces in India focusing on modern and contemporary art, that presents works by the country’s most prominent artists across interdisciplinary and experimental mediums. Through its online viewing rooms, artist projects and significant presence in global fairs and programs, Chemould is also at the forefront of international art platforms.

Chemould has pioneered the early careers of today’s leading artists including S. H. Raza, Tyeb Mehta, Bhupen Khakhar, Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya and L.N. Tallur, among others. Through its institutional collaborations, Chemould has coordinated the mid-career retrospectives of artists like Jitish Kallat, NS Harsha and Mehlli Gobhai. In conjunction with its exhibitions, Chemould shares the work of its artists with audiences worldwide through catalogues and monographs; providing unique access to their oeuvres.

Through its wide-range programming the gallery has introduced important women artists who stand as crucial feminist voices in Indian art, Mithu Sen, Pushpamala N and Shakuntala Kulkarni, and artists including Shilpa Gupta, Nilima Sheikh, Varunika Saraf and Reena Kallat, whose body of work confronts aspects of today’s socio-political landscape. The programme also focuses on Desmond Lazaro, Aditi Singh, Bijoy Jain and Lavanya Mani, who present a range of investigations and approaches to material.

In 2007, the gallery moved to a large loft-like space in a historic building on Prescott Road. Under the current directorship of Shireen Gandhy, Chemould has placed works in various museum collections including the Guggenheim Foundation, the Tate Modern, M+, The Art Institute of Chicago, and more.

Now in its fifth decade, Chemould plays a vital role in India’s contemporary art landscape, it holds a robust program, and supports and showcases the careers of some of the most influential artists and estates from across the country.