Love attending art exhibitions? Method's new gallery in Juhu opens for public today

A visitor photographs the artworks featured in the exhibition, A Reverie of A Memory

It is a busy afternoon when we step into the first floor of Armaan bungalow in the plush Hatkesh society of Juhu. The white walls of the 1,800-square-foot-space are already filled with large canvases, waiting for the Monday opening of the exhibition for Method's newest gallery space in the neighbourhood. It is a rare avenue for visual art in a suburb that is brimming with theatre activity, says gallerist Sahil Arora.

The gallery might be new, but Arora knows the neighbourhood better than most. He grew up in Andheri, and studied in a Juhu school. The venue will be Method's third in the city after outposts in Kala Ghoda and Bandra. The decision, Arora admits, was spontaneous and instinctive. "There was a plan, yes. But it was not on a timeline. A lot of things fell into place at the right time," he says.

Art collectibles on display are also for sale. Pics/Anurag Ahire

Space is the breath of art said Frank Lloyd Wright, and the gallery's vast, open well-lit space reflects that. It is divided into three sections with the larger viewing space allocated to artworks, exhibitions or installations. A smaller section to the right of the entrance opens up to another viewing area adjacent to a space for art collectibles created by artists associated with the gallery. It also comes with a small coffee bar - hosted by Subko - with a conversational space for visitors.

"The space gives us the opportunity to explore more installations," says Arora, adding that it will be interesting to see how artists approach it as well. With three workshops already scheduled, including a print-making session by Shweta Urane, followed by a performance of The Peasant of El Salvador by QTP later this month, the itinerary looks promising. The curation for the space, the gallerist assures, will remain mostly distinct from the other two venues.

Seating space by the main gallery

It is then a question of public engagement, we probe. Arora disagrees. "The question is of accessibility. Unless you have access to art, you won't engage with it. I am willing to take the risk to find out," he says. The last six years have been transformational for the public perception of art, further noting that the current generation is exposed to art, culture and fashion more than ever before. "I just think that visual aesthetics have changed," the 36-year-old remarks, adding that he hopes to repeat the experiences of Kala Ghoda and Bandra in Juhu.

Proof will be found when the gallery opens today with Bengaluru-based multidisciplinary artist Anila Govindappan's A Reverie of A Memory - a series of urban portraits representative of the changed landscapes from people's memories, the artist explains as he sketches a doodle on the walls. The work was initially scheduled to be exhibited at the gallery's Kala Ghoda space before the opportunity presented itself.

Sahil Arora

Now that Juhu is conquered, are more neighbourhoods in the pipeline? Arora shrugs it off. "There are a lot of interesting ideas we have. The more important question is how we execute them," he responds. Art aficionados in the Western Suburbs will be curious to see how that pans out.

Till: August 21; 11 am to 7 pm
At: Method Juhu, Armaan Bungalow, 23 Hatkesh Society, NS Road 6, JVPD, Juhu.
Log on to: themethod.art