Debjani Banerjee: Jalsaghar

11 Jul-6 Sep 2026

PV 11 Jul 2026, 11am-5pm

Overview

Jalsaghar is a solo exhibition by Debjani Banerjee that explores the relationship between the artist’s Bengali heritage and her 1980s upbringing in England. Across film, sculpture, and installation, her work playfully merges traditional craft, religious imagery and modern culture, encouraging audiences to think about what it feels like when different ways of life interplay.

The title Jalsaghar means ‘music room’ in Bengali, and comes from Satyajit Ray’s 1958 film of the same name. Banerjee reimagines this idea of a ‘music room’ and transforms the gallery into a sensory space where you can reflect with music, stories and artworks that connect the past and the present.

In the exhibition visitors will discover figures like Rabindranath Tagore, a Bengali writer, composer and thinker; Hindu deities such as Ganesh and Shiva; and imagery drawn from The Mahabharata - an ancient Indian epic poem, infused with elements of contemporary popular culture. These combined references create dreamlike works that present the artist’s ever changing ideas of India, formed through personal experience, family histories and inherited stories.

Collaboration is central to Banerjee’s practice, and Jalsaghar has developed through work with a range of artists and contributors, reflecting her interest in shared making, participation and collective exchange.

The gallery will also have a space with free creative activities for children and families to be inspired and make their own art in response to the exhibition.

Jalsaghar was initially commissioned by CCA, Glasgow (2024), Jalsaghar has since been presented in new iterations at KARST, Plymouth (2025) and at Mimosa House, London (2025).

To mark the launch of the exhibition, there will be a Celebration Day on Saturday 11th July with refreshments, family activities and a bookable walk-through of the exhibition with artist Debjani Banerjee and Head of Exhibitions at Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dan Brown. Booking info coming soon.

Free entry

Book now