Project Bambai: A Unique Artsy Take On Mumbai

Mumbai has always been a fantastic muse — writers, artists, musicians, and photographers alike have all found inspiration in her quirks and charming ways. Garima Gupta joins this ‘Mumbaiphile’ club with her newest work, Project Bambai. In her own words, Project Bambai is ‘a curious interaction with the old and new, living and still, and comical and melancholic in the city of Mumbai.’
When she started this project three years ago, Garima was in awe of the quaint old structures of Mumbai, or as it was once known, Bombay. The classic Neo-Gothic architectural marvels that dot the lanes of Colaba spoke out to her, literally. As many residents of South Mumbai will agree, even a short walk to the grocery shop can pique your interest in one of the many architectural beauties you may encounter on your way. As those pieces of architecture speak to her, so do the pieces in her art — literally. Imagining the hundreds of stories that these buildings and sculptures must have witnessed, one of her artworks focuses on these sculptures talking to each other and the secrets they might share.

A tribute to Mumbai’s art-deco age, Garima picks up on elements that stand out. Below is an element from the famous Regal Theatre. Many visitors who marvel at this building miss the small details, such as this figurine, which is one of two on the structure.

Statues and sculptures are a special focus in the project. Below is a piece dedicated to the Khada Parsi, or the iron statue of Shet Cursetjee Manockjee, which is a Grade I heritage structure in Byculla. Once a well-known landmark, this 40-foot statue was recently restored to its former glory.

Project Bambai also features artwork dedicated to Parsi Dairy and Kala Ghoda.

Kala Ghoda (L to R : Gargoyle from VT, Regal Cinema figurine, Sassoon from the library, Hutatma and Flora Fountain)

You can find the project on Facebook.

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