Mukul Deora's debut art exhibition

Twenty-one silver sculptures. All revolving around the central theme of a bed. Fires one’s imagination, doesn’t it?

Mukul Deora (yes, son of political stalwart Murli and brother of Congress MP Milind) who’s been up there on Mumbai’s music scene, even converting his home into a mixing studio, is now dabbling in installation art.

His debut, titled ‘The Metronome’, may seem meaningless at first glance, but I’m confident that you’ll find it interesting if you delve deeper. Mukul’s used the metaphor of a bed to signify the various aspects of our existence — it’s a place where we are conceived, born and also where we die. It’s a place where we start new beginnings in the mornings and wrap them up at night. See how an ordinary cot is transformed into an ornate wedding bed in more than just the physical sense. Mukul explained to me, “The wedding night transforms the simple bed into a mythical scene, giving it purpose and memory.”

It’s all about space, time and life. In this context, you can understand his ‘Soft Metronome’, which symbolises the human heart. Apparently, the soft metronome of life ticks from left to right, bringing either sweet delight or tasteless memories, depending on what we do with our time. Profound.

And all this time, I thought beds were all about snooze control.

‘The Metronome’ by Mukul Deora on till March 8 at Ashish Balram Nagpal Art Gallery, No. 7, The Courtyard, Behind Radio Club, Colaba; Tel: 66385472/73; Prices: Rs 2-2.5 lakh.