Inside Out x Sassoon Dock

Public Art, Installation, Photo

Sassoon Dock is a 145-year-old fishing dock in South Mumbai. The fishermen and women communities of Sassoon are among the oldest settlers of Bombay, being the invisible lifeline that helped the city build around them. The Inside Out Project at Sassoon Dock aimed to shed light on the faces behind Sassoon as a way of celebrating their lives, livelihoods, and contribution to the city.

In the city of Bollywood, where celebrities and film stars are eulogized on large-size posters, the representation of the everyday workers of Sassoon was a way of acknowledging their immense value in the very space they inhabit daily. The project celebrated them as the real stars of the city of stars. This was done by pasting large portraits of the people of Sassoon Docks on the very warehouses they work in.

The Inside Out Project is a global art project transforming messages of personal identity into works of art. The project was initiated by French artist-photographer extraordinaire JR.  Find out more here

This project was done in collaboration with photographer Pranav Gohil

The Sassoon Dock is situated in Colaba, in the heart of the old town. Yet it is a space most locals are unaware of. The initial research entailed spending days at the dock to get a sense of the dynamics of the space, while speaking with community leaders helped understand the different socio-cultural demographics of the communities living and working in the area.

Having been misrepresented by several journalists, photographers, and foreigners over the years, we were initially met with hesitation. But over weeks of clearing their doubts and making them understand the intent of the project, we were able to gain the trust of the community leaders.

Through the conversations, it emerged that Sassoon Dock was primarily inhabited by three communities - The Koli Fishermen, The Banjaras, and The Hindu Marathas. All three communities were integral to the micro-economy of the market.

The Koli Fishermen go out to sea and catch the fish, while the women help to sell them. The Banjara men handle hauling the fish off the boats, while the women help in the peeling activities. The Hindu Marathas are the carters - both men and women. They transport fish from the wholesalers to smaller sellers within Sassoon and other parts of the city.

To build the project without causing too much disruption to their lives, a temporary studio was set up within an abandoned part of the warehouse to make portraits of the community. Eventually, over 350 portraits were pasted across the walls of Sassoon Dock.

Here’s short film about the project