Bluecoat to host a new sensory exhibition ‘Jalsaghar’

Jalsaghar is a solo exhibition 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 historical 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.

“I’m excited to present Jalsaghar at the Bluecoat, where the exhibition can unfold as a space shaped by music, memory and encounter. It will be the first time the film is shown as part of the wider installation, bringing the different elements of the work into conversation.” – Debjani Banerjee

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.

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. Find out more at thebluecoat.org.uk.

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).

Find out more on the Bluecoat website.

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