A journey through India’s culture
Museum of Art and Photography in Bangalore by Mathew & Ghosh
Street view, © Krishna Tangirala
Since the middle of February, a new museum has officially opened in the Indian metropolis of Bangalore. Designed by architects Mathew & Ghosh, the MAP Museum of Art and Photography stands in the heart of the city’s museum district. MAP shows outstanding collections of South Asian art and culture which will now become accessible to a broad audience from around the world.
Sculpture Courtyard: Dialogues in Stone, an installation by British sculptor Stephen Cox. © Krishna Tangirala
Cultural heritage
South Asian cultures represent nearly a quarter of the world’s population. Thanks to the democratization of art, this cultural heritage can now be fittingly presented. As India’s proportion of young people is larger than in any other country, MAP aims to foster the cultural education of the younger generations. Furthermore, the collections should also address social questions and encourage new debates.
A diverse collection
With more than 60 000 works, MAP will show art and culture from the 10th century to the present day. The museum concentrates on modern and contemporary works. The collections range from traditionally respected art to the everyday creativity of India’s communities: textiles, tribal art and mementos from the world-famous Bollywood industry are displayed along with classical paintings and sculptures.
Gallery view: Visible/Invisible representation of Women in Art through the MAP Collection. © Iwan Baan
Spatial program
The architectural language of the museum reflects functionality and openness. The five storeys encompass four large galleries, an auditorium with 130 seats and a conservation laboratory devoted to researching and caring for the collection. An extensive library houses extensive, freely available research material about Indian art and culture. Moreover, the museum is home to a café and a rooftop restaurant with a far-reaching view over the city.
Ground floor reception featuring sculptural commission RockFormationTower and welcome desk designed by the multi-disciplinary artist and designer, Arik Levy. © Iwan Baan
Virtual museum
MAP was established in 2020 by philanthropist and collector Abhishek Poddar as India’s first purely online gallery for art and photography. Three years after the digital start, it has now transformed into a brick-and-mortar museum. Supported by Bangalore’s advanced technologies, the museum continues to build on its foundation of a digital format. Virtual exhibitions, discussions with artists and virtual-reality happenings round out the museum experience for visitors to MAP.
Find out more about the museum in the video.
Architecture: Mathew & Ghosh
Client: Abhishek Poddar
Location: Museum of Art & Photography, 22 Kasturba Road, Shanthala Nagar, Bangalore, Karnataka (IN)
Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 10 am – 6:30 pm; Friday to Saturday 10 am – 7:30 pm; closed on Mondays
Discounts: Tuesday 2 pm – 6:30 pm free entry
More Information: map-india.org
Gallery
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India’s cultural heritage
Museum of Art and Photography by Mathew & Ghosh Architects
In the Indian metropolis of Bangalore, architects Mathew & Ghosh have realized the Museum of Art and Photography. Collections of South Asian art and culture have been displayed here since the middle of February.