ART DECO

Mumbai's Art Deco architecture was recently added to UNESCO's World Heritage List, placing it only second to the Art Deco buildings in Miami. Art Deco first emerged with the 1925 Exposition Internationale Des Arts Decoratifs et Industrial Moderns in Paris. Characterised by clean geometric designs and devoid of any ornate embellishments, it evolved in the first two decades of the 20th century and spread to the rest of the world. It arrived in India through influential royal families, trade merchants and well-travelled entrepreneurs.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, there was a growing international interest in Indian craftsmanship and design brought on by the Arts and Crafts movement in England and the exposure provided by international exhibitions. Indian craftsmen worked with traditional, locally sourced materials, often teak and rosewood, to create designs that had more appeal in the European and international market. Simple and streamlined, these designs typically consisted of elongated forms and sleek surfaces. The influence of these designs permeated into architecture, interiors and furniture, often inspired by local imagery that can be seen in Mumbai (then Bombay) even today.