OUR FRIEND GEETHA Mehra has her art gallery on 2^nd Pasta Lane, near Colaba Causeway in Bombay. On one of our visits in November 2025, she had organised an exhibition, “Behind the Façade”, which consisted of works by the contemporary artist Teja Gavankar. The artefacts on display were almost architectural, some using brickwork and others containing other materials, As the gallery’s website explained:

“Gavankar is interested in dual states, in forms that appear rigid, where solidity gives way to softness and movement. A dialogue between natural and built environments unfolds, stemming from the artist’s experience of living in Mumbai’s suburbs. Gavankar observes the contours of the city during her commute, seeing organic forms emerge in its industrial undertones.”

Whereas architects make structures which are functional, Gavanka created architectural structures that were artworks designed to challenge the viewers perceptions of space. Seeing the brickwork sculptures and the patterned brick façade she designed for the gallery reminded me of the brick workshop we saw in progress at the Chitrakala Parishad in Bangalore a few days earlier (see: https://adam-yamey-writes.com/2025/11/20/bricks-and-design-at-an-art-school-in-bangalore-bengaluru/).