Crafted With Purpose: This Mumbai Gallery Reimagines Indian Artistry

A yearning to resist the ‘fast food’ culture of design led a mother-daughter duo—Artist Narinder Kaur and architect Jasleen Kaur—to envisage the IKKO gallery. Tucked in the alleys of Mumbai’s concrete jungles, this gallery responds to the growing commodification of India’s cultural and architectural heritage. Currently showing at the gallery is ‘Beeja: Notes From Being,’ a contemplative ceramic showcase by young artists Sakshi and Aditi, who explore clay as a cosmic, meditative material. Within the gallery’s lime-washed nooks and hushed grey expanses, rangoli-inspired imprints, river stones, and black clay flecked like stardust invite quiet reflection. Bathed in natural light and defined by raw textures, it offers a sanctuary for slowness—an ode to form and feeling—where architecture and open space engage in constant dialogue.  

A result of the dissonance between tradition and trend, ‘IKKO,’ which translates to ‘only one’ in Punjabi, “captures the essence of what we stand for; every act of creation, when born from spontaneity and authenticity, is inherently one of a kind,” remarks architect Jasleen Kaur of IKKO Gallery. She adds, “The name is also a tribute to my cultural roots, emphasising that expressions grounded in heritage often hold more depth and sincerity than those chasing surface-level allure.”

Beyond The White Cube

Perched on the upper level of a modest edifice, IKKO unfolds like a subtle canvas for artworks embodying the irony of being a canvas that holds other canvases. The founders’ shared discomfort with the erosion of indigenous design vocabularies in contemporary India inspired the conception of IKKO, which draws from their journeys across the Indian subcontinent. “We’ve approached design and artistic exploration not as two separate disciplines, but as deeply interconnected paths that enrich one another,” shares Jasleen Kaur. Subsequently, with a desire to preserve and create a space that reclaims and restores the slower, tactile, more intuitive procedures of artmaking, this gallery serves as an antidote to the hurried, hyper-visual culture. “Creating IKKO from the ground up was a return to my roots—the days spent at the art institute, Gurukul in Vanasthali, Rajasthan, where natural forms, organic aesthetics, and light played a foundational role in shaping my creative sensibility,” shares the artist Narinder Kaur.

Also Read: The Smritivan Earthquake Museum Introduces A New Kind Of Inclusive Memorial In North Gujarat

Over the past year, IKKO has showcased a dynamic roster—Riyas Komu, Jayasri Burman, Gangu Naidu, Arjun Rathi, and Siddharth Kelkar—each contributing to a nuanced dialogue between contemporary art, design, and material exploration. The upcoming exhibition featuring artist Mananpreet Singh Saluja embodies the gallery’s signature curatorial depth, with his fluid wooden sculptures echoing molten textures, worn memories, and timeless movement.

Designed to recede rather than impose, the tour begins in a steel-lined corridor drenched in natural light, punctuated by a row of cacti that add a softness to the industrial vibe of the foyer. “Historically, art and architecture were never separate—they were parts of the same narrative, creating spaces that were both functional and emotionally resonant,” shares the architect. Further, a door opens into a cosy foyer with a low-hanging wooden ceiling, ushering one into the central spine aptly monikered ‘the street.’ Eschewing perfection, the duo embraces process as both medium and message—celebrating the hand, repetition, and imperfection—within a space that unites the gallery, Narinder’s studio, and a project consultancy.

Also Read: Architecture Is Portable: Andblack Design Studio’s Darwin Bucky Rewrites The Rules Of Construction

This ‘street’ further branches into IKKO’s main exhibition space, which extends into a long volume rendered in carbon-toned lime plaster and grounded by the rugged warmth of Kadappa stone. “We deliberately avoided the sterile ‘white cube’ gallery model—instead, each show is reimagined to shape the environment and invite the artist to transform the space,” explains Jasleen Kaur. With pivoting wall panels, a magnetic lighting grid, and an integrated AV system, it shifts in ambience and configuration with effortless grace. “It becomes a living, breathing canvas for immersive, sensory-driven storytelling—allowing the structure itself to adapt and respond to the artwork it hosts,” explains the architect. She adds, “Unlike conventional white-box spaces, the integration of varied materials and finishes allows designers and visitors alike to see how artworks interact with different surfaces and contexts, making it easier to imagine them within ongoing design projects.”

The details—like sculptural swings, sculpted seating nooks, and ambient lighting—imbue the space with an air of contemplation, inviting visitors to linger, feel, and reflect. In the gallery, Narinder Kaur’s studio lies beyond a glass partition, echoing IKKO’s philosophy of laying the process bare. This translucency weaves the act of ‘making’ into the visitor’s experience, subtly dissolving the boundary between artist and observer by revealing slow, deliberate rhythms of creation. “With IKKO, I wanted to create a quiet refuge within the harshness of the city—a space grounded in humility and simplicity, where art rooted in culture and experience could breathe,” shares Narinder Kaur.

Crafting Connections Through Spatial Flow

The artworks are deliberately placed to allow fluid movement; this spatial layout exudes an airy vibe, allowing visitors to experience the collection from multiple perspectives, fostering deeper engagement and an intimate connection with each piece. With an ethos rooted in mindful making, IKKO’s curatorial approach is steeped in slowness, material morality, and reverence for process, brewing a quiet rebellion against surface-driven spectacle. “The gallery actively encourages exploration of new materials, techniques, and forms—making it an ideal space for artists working with multisensory experiences and spatial interventions that engage with three-dimensionality,” reveals Jasleen Kaur. She adds, “Part of this involves identifying artists whose work aligns with a brand’s visual language and ethos, creating thoughtful partnerships that extend beyond the gallery walls.”

Also Read: A Definitive Gallery Guide To Bangkok

A Return To Roots

“IKKO extends its engagement beyond exhibitions through a dynamic calendar of talks, hands-on workshops, and artist-led research initiatives,” reveals the architect. With filmmakers, theatre artists, product designers, and artists working on photo documentation-based projects, the gallery transcends traditional exhibition formats, evolving into a platform where diverse mediums converge. These events are not merely embellishments to the roster—they embody the gallery’s deeper belief in engaging meaningfully with the city and its cultural pulse. “Staying true to its founding vision of celebrating Indian art and culture, IKKO actively collaborates with like-minded brands through curated pop-up exhibitions and displays,” explains the architect.

In an era where design often chases trends and forgets its roots, IKKO stands resolute—a stark reminder that art is felt, and architecture can move beyond mere shelter, to become something that holds and co-creates. Marked by a profound commitment, the gallery fosters a deeply authentic dialogue between art and architecture that invites reflection, connection, and lasting resonance.