Established by Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy in Mumbai in 1963, Chemould is one of the first exhibition spaces in India focusing on modern and contemporary art, that presents works by the country’s most prominent artists across interdisciplinary and experimental mediums. Through its exhibitions, artist projects and significant presence in global art fairs and programs, Chemould is also at the forefront of international art platforms.

Since its inception, Chemould has pioneered the early careers of today’s leading artists including S. H. Raza, Tyeb Mehta, Bhupen Khakhar, Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya and L.N. Tallur among others. Through its institutional collaborations, Chemould has coordinated the retrospectives of artists like Jitish Kallat at the National Gallery of Modern Art Delhi (2017), NS Harsha at the Mori Art Museum (2017) and Mehlli Gobhai at the National Gallery of Modern Art Mumbai (2020). In conjunction with its exhibitions, Chemould shares the visionary work of its artists with audiences worldwide through the production of catalogues, artists books, editions and monographs; providing insights and unique access to their oeuvres.

Through its wide-range programming the gallery has introduced important women artists to the public who stand as crucial feminist voices in contemporary Indian art, namely Mithu Sen, Pushpamala N and Shakuntala Kulkarni, and artists including Shilpa Gupta, Nilima Sheikh, Varunika Saraf and Reena Kallat, whose body of work confronts aspects of today’s socio-political landscape. Parallel to their representation, Chemould’s programme focuses on Desmond Lazaro, Aditi Singh, Bijoy Jain and Lavanya Mani, who present a range of investigations and approaches to material.

In 2007, the gallery moved to a large loft-like space in a historic building on Prescott Road. Under the current directorship of Shireen Gandhy, Chemould has placed works in various private and public collections of leading international museums including the Guggenheim Foundation, the Tate Modern, the Kunsthaus Zürich, the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg, The Cincinnati Art Museum, M+ and The Art Institute of Chicago.

In 2022, a second gallery space in Mumbai was introduced - Chemould CoLab - emphasising new and exciting work by emerging talent, alongside a summer residency program. Now in its fifth decade, Chemould plays a vital role in India’s contemporary art landscape: the gallery holds a robust program, and supports and showcases the careers of some of the most influential contemporary artists and estates from across the country.

Shireen Gandhy is a gallerist specializing in Indian Contemporary Art, and is the director of Chemould Prescott Road since 1988. She took over from her parents, Kekoo and Khorshed Gandhy, who founded the gallery in 1963.

Gandhy received a degree in Art Administration at City University, London. She has built collections, curated exhibitions, and nurtured the careers of many of the most prolific Indian artists working today including Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya, Shilpa Gupta and Reena Saini Kallat. 

With an expansive career as founding member of SOUTH SOUTH VEZA, jury member of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016, committee member of Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Dubai, and India Art Fair, and coordinator of the first Johannesburg Biennale in 1993, Gandhy is renowned for her depth of knowledge and passionate advocacy for great works of art.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the gallery, Gandhy presented 5 exhibitions titled Aesthetic Bind, which looked at curatorial practices in contemporary art today. In conjunction with exhibitions, Gandhy has also produced artist monographs, editions, and catalogues, sharing the work of artists with audiences worldwide.

Now in the gallery’s 6th decade, Gandhy has opened a second exhibition space that focuses on emerging artists starting their careers, and is working with éka to bring together the family and gallery archive dating back to the 1800s.