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As Mumbai’s coastal breeze carries the creative hum of 2026, the city’s art scene is reaching a fever pitch. From the high octane energy of the Mumbai Gallery Weekend to the sprawling canvases of the India Art Festival at Worli, this season presents to you a masterclass in multidisciplinary brilliance. So, whether it is Mithu Sen’s immersive provocations at Chemould Prescott Road or the vibrant public installations of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, Mumbai is currently a living museum. Here’s for you to dive into this curated guide to the hottest Mumbai exhibitions and secret gallery gems that define the city’s aesthetic pulse this year.
Top art exhibitions in Mumbai to watch out for this season
With some of the most highly anticipated solo and group exhibitions, these shows offer an intimate and curated experience, focusing on the deep thematic explorations of slow looking. Here are some of the popular upcoming Mumbai exhibitions to look out for-
1. “What Do Birds Dream at Dusk?” by Mithu Sen
A flagship show for the season, this Mumbai exhibition features Mithu Sen’s multidisciplinary project in the form of a conceptual powerhouse. Using drawing, sound, and installation, Sen explores the idea of blindness not as a physical state, but as a social and political choice. It is an immersive and provocative art exhibition in Mumbai that challenges how we perceive truth in the digital age.
Venue: Chemould Prescott Road, Fort
Dates: January-February 2026
2. “Krishen Khanna at 100: The Last Progressive”
This Mumbai exhibition offers a historic retrospective that celebrates the cemetery of one of India’s last living modern masters. The exhibition traces Khanna’s journey from the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group to his later, somber explorations of human resilience as well as the marginalised. It is an essential pilgrimage for anyone wanting to understand the DNA of Indian modernism.
Venue: National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Colaba
Dates: Ongoing through early 2026
3. The “Dream Vision” Solo Show by Nikas Safronov
Widely regarded as Russia’s most famous living artist, Nikas Safronov has brought his patented Dream Vision exhibition style to the City of Dreams. This isn't just a painting gallery, but a multidisciplinary journey featuring AI powered neuro mirrors that transform your reflection into art, and a 500 meter animated Hindu mandala. Safronov artist reimagines the ghats of Varanasi and Hindu deities through a surreal, dream-like lens.
Venue: National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Fort
Dates: Closing January 15, 2026
4. “Face to Face: A Portrait of a City”
This is a stunning archival exhibition that features 30 portraits documenting Mumbai’s social fabric from the 19th to the 20th century. From Parsi philanthropists to Ambedkar, the works in this Mumbai exhibition are rendered by masters like M V Dhurandhar and M F Hussain, all of which acts as a visual diary of how the city has learned to see itself.
Venue: DAG, The Taj Mahal Palace, Colaba
Dates: Closing mid-January 2026
5. “A Map Folded Open”
A group show, this one is a must visit for those exploring the Bandra art circuit. Curated by Zeenat Nagree, it brings together artists who treat mapping as an emotional and bodily process rather than a geographical one. It is a delicate, tactile exhibition that features textile based works and memory tracing.
Venue: Art & Charlie, Bandra
Dates: January 8- February 7, 2026
Art festivals happening in Mumbai you should bookmark for an immersive experience
Mumbai’s art calendar this year is in full bloom, offering a mix of massive street takeovers and curated gallery experiences. Here are some popular art festivals to include in your journey-
1. Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF) 2026
One of the city’s most iconic multidisciplinary street festivals, the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival takes place over the course of nine days. The historic Fort transforms into a pedestrian only living museum during this time of the year.
Expect towering visual art installations on Rampart Row and curated exhibitions at the Jehangir Art Gallery and CSMVS Museum. This year, look out for the new Lifestyle vertical, which blends urban culture with sustainability. It is the city’s ultimate open air cultural playground, where heritage architecture meets contemporary experimental art.
Venue: Kala Ghoda Precinct, South Mumbai
Dates: January 31- February 8, 2026
2. India Art Festival (IAF) 2026
The India Art Festival is a democratic, high energy art fair that bridges the gap between independent artists and established galleries. Featuring over 4500 artworks across 150 booths, the IAF is one of the best places to spot emerging talent. It is a marketplace of imagination that offers everything from traditional landscapes to cutting edge digital media. If you are someone who is looking to start an art collection without the intimidation of high brow galleries, this is the place to be!
Venue: Nehru Centre, Worli
Dates: February 5-8, 2026