Jessica Morgan on Taking the Dia Art Foundation Collection to Mumbai

Organized by Dia Art Foundation and The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), ‘Light into Space’ brings together key works by some of the most significant artists of the 1960s and ’70s, including Dan Flavin, Nancy Holt, Robert Irwin and Mary Corse. Staged across four floors of the Art House at NMACC in Mumbai, the exhibition marks the first time that the US-based institution has shown its collection in India. Here, Dia director Jessica Morgan discusses the challenges – both practical and ecological – of sending fragile, large-scale sculptures to Mumbai, and what she learned about these iconic artworks by seeing them in a new setting.

Chloe Stead What was the starting point for the exhibition and Dia’s collaboration with Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre?

Jessica Morgan This exhibition began as a conversation about how we could introduce Dia’s collection and curatorial ethos to new audiences outside the United States. Dia has a longstanding commitment to artists whose practices engage deeply with space, perception and materiality, and ‘Light into Space’ felt like a natural extension of that mission. The opportunity to present these works in Mumbai – where light, architecture and the urban environment interact in such distinct ways – offered a compelling new lens through which to experience them.

CS What motivated you to bring such an iconic group of 1960s and ’70s artists to India for the first time?

JM While many of these artists – such as Dan Flavin, Robert Irwin and Mary Corse – are central figures in the history of minimalism and post-minimalism in the US, their work has never been exhibited in India prior to this show. It’s been incredibly rewarding to witness how visitors in Mumbai are responding – there’s a curiosity and openness to exploring these works, and we’ve seen a real engagement with the sensory and spatial qualities of the exhibition. It’s a reminder that these artists’ ideas transcend their original historical and geographical contexts.

CS Did you and your team learn anything about any of the artists and works from seeing them in this new context?

JM One of the most exciting aspects of presenting ‘Light into Space’ in Mumbai has been observing how natural and artificial light interact with the works in this setting. Experiencing pieces like Flavin’s fluorescent installations or Corse’s subtly reflective surfaces in this new environment has revealed nuances we hadn’t noticed before. The quality of daylight in Mumbai – its intensity, the way it shifts throughout the day – creates a different perceptual experience, reinforcing how strongly these works depend on their surroundings.

Beyond that, my co-curator Min Sun Jeon and I believe that the works in this exhibition deeply resonate with both historical and contemporary environments in India, where light has long held cultural significance. Diwali, with its symbolic and spiritual meaning, served as a key reference point in this exploration. Likewise, in Mumbai’s contemporary urban landscape, the dynamic interplay of light, people and architecture is particularly striking. The overwhelming presence of neon advertising in an increasingly commercialized cityscape, along with light projections on historic landmarks such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Gateway of India and the Rajabai Clock Tower, reflects the ever-changing nature of the environment.

CS What were some of the logistical issues or concerns of shipping and exhibiting this work in India?

JM Transporting and installing large-scale, often fragile works always presents challenges, particularly when dealing with light-based and spatially sensitive pieces. We worked closely with conservation experts, shippers and NMACC’s incredible technical team to ensure that each work arrived safely and was installed with precision. Temperature and humidity control were also key considerations, given the climate differences between New York and Mumbai, and we were thrilled with the state-of-the-art galleries at NMACC and the close attention to the care of the works at every step of the way.

CS Shipping such a large amount of work across the world must come with a sizable carbon footprint. How did you balance this reality with the institution’s responsibility to show the work of artists from your collection to new audiences?

JM This is something we are incredibly mindful of at Dia, as sustainability is an essential consideration and responsibility for any cultural institution today. While the carbon footprint of international exhibitions is a challenge, we strive to mitigate it by consolidating shipments, reusing crates, using environmentally responsible packing materials and working with shippers who adhere to sustainable practices. For this exhibition at NMACC, many of the site-responsive works were fabricated onsite, reducing the number of works that needed to be transported.

CS Can you see a future in which Dia might use technology, such as VR or 3D printing, to showcase the collection abroad? Is this a conversation you’re having, or do you think ‘live’ experiences with the collection should be prioritized over mediated ones?

JM Dia’s ethos has always been focused on fostering direct, unmediated encounters with art. That said, we recognize that these technologies present interesting possibilities for many institutions and artists, and they are an important part of the broader conversation about accessibility in the arts. It will be exciting to see what the future brings as these technologies become more ingrained and advanced.

‘Light into Space’ is on view at the Art House at The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre until 11 May

_{Main image: ‘Light into Space’, 2025, exhibition view. Courtesy: Dia Art Foundation}