LIMINAL SPACES

Bengaluru's new art landmark, Museum Of Art And Photography, champions South Asian voices understood afresh through the prism of inclusivity

- NIDA NAEEM

The museum space in India is undergoing an evolution. It’s no more just a gatekept cultural institution, sacred to those who frequent them and elitist to those who are left out. While we shed the ghost of our colonial past, museums and art galleries are carving a niche in the larger public consciousness as diverse voices within the walls of the museum, resonating with diverse audiences outside of it.

The newly opened Museum Of Art And Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru is democratising access to art and provoking important conversations through its extensive collection of South Asian paintings, sculptures, textiles, indigenous art, and pop culture memorabilia. First launched in 2020 as India’s first online-only museum, MAP is now housed in a sprawling building in the heart of the city, designed by architects Mathew & Ghosh. Within its four floors are five galleries, a library, conservation centre, gift shop, auditorium, a café, and a rooftop restaurant. Founder, trustee, and prolific patron of the arts, Abhishek Poddar has donated several pieces from the Poddar family’s personal collection to the museum.

MANY NARRATIVES 

Collaboration and knowledge sharing is at the heart of MAP. “Museums Without Borders has been one such passion project at MAP, where we collaborate with museums in different parts of the world to explore connections across geographies, periods, and cultures through a dialogue between artworks from these institutions,” shares Kamini Sawhney, director of MAP.