70 photos, 40 nations: Why this show must be in your must-see list

A photography exhibition attempts to encompass all the major continents, and goes as far back as the 1970s.

We talk about how the arts need corporate support. When a major international bank has numerous paintings and photographs -nearly a hundred of them representing artists from 40 different countries - all over the walls of its headquarters (in Frankfurt, Germany), it's safe to say they take their role in the art world seriously.

Understandably, back in the 1970s, when they first focused on art, their collection started out from a place of national pride - focusing exclusively on German living environments. Gradually, they extended their focus to works from Africa, Asia, South America, East Europe and the Mediterranean. It has now resulted in a rich collection, one that the bank is keen to take outside of its glass and concrete office.

My Grandmother, 2000, by Miwa Yanagi

In an effort to also showcase how photography has radically changed our vision of the world, the bank is bringing its first-ever travelling exhibition -Time Present - to Mumbai. The exhibition opened in Singapore in October, 2013, and will travel to Tokyo and Sydney as well.

Location #6, 2006, by Yeondoo Jung

About 70 curated photographs - with works from the 1970s to now - are divided into four categories - Time Exposed, Today Is The Past, A Moment Of Intense Concentration, and My Future Is Not A Dream.

Madima Wave, 2005, by Massimo Vitali and Untitled (Boy with guitar), 2005, by Sharon Lockhart

Friedhelm Hütte, global head of art, Deutsche Bank, says, "The main aspect is the relationship between the subject, time, and photography. When you look at time in the background, you see it's not something an artist has invented, it's there."

Time Present is on till May 10, at the NGMA, Fort, from 11 am to 6 pm, Tuesday to Sunday.