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Benita Sen

The dynamics of charity art shows... who is helping whom?

Children deserted by their parents, Kargil heroes, old-age homes, community animals that require medical help, and a hospital in need of funds... Across the country, diverse causes have inspired artists to take up the brush. Art is certainly not for only art's sake here... nor is it exclusively for the art mart.

When artists contribute to a cause or when corporate and social groups organise such shows, everyone transcends immediate concerns to think of someone else.

As the manager of a Delhi gallery points out, "Art can exist without patronage, but it needs a patron if it has to thrive." In the days of monarchs, royal patronage yielded artistic dividends. Take the enthusiasm of Akbar and the patronage of Jehangir. And compare it with the dip in creative output during the reign of Aurangzeb. Today, corporate czars and other organisations are beginning to feel more responsible towards the fine arts. "It's a sense of social responsibility," the gallery manager says. The concept of `art for a cause' helps further both the cause and the artists. For celebrated signatures, it is the feel-good factor of having arrived at a juncture in life where you can help those who are a few steps behind. "It's definitely proven to be a successful formula," says one gallery manager.

And for artists who have not yet "arrived", a charity contribution translates into visibility in a world of competing easels. "Especially in a region like Bengal, where there are so many gifted artists, it becomes hard to find a niche unless she/he is promoted by some individual, organisation or gallery. Struggling artists are only too happy to be showcased alongside well-known names," says Myna Kakar, owner of The Verandah art gallery in Kolkata.

And, as one art collector puts it, the causes spur buying of even not-too-well-known artists, since buyers come to such shows with a charitable frame of mind. Typically, at such shows market mechanics — the pull at the purse strings, the value of the work, comparison with a more prominent name alongside, the resale factor — all come into play. Apart from the satisfaction of a sale, such shows boost the confidence of a talented artist, especially if the charity is well known. And for creative people, for many of whom marketing is not a forte, charity shows certainly help.

So, while some artists say they give their canvas for the cause, others take a cut in their share from sale proceeds, from the usual two-thirds to 50 per cent or even less. Some artists prefer to go the extra mile, getting together to organise a show for a cause they believe in.

But `art with a heart' also has its flip side. As some artists confessed, there have been instances when they have wondered at the genuineness of the cause. "I don't have the time to check the organiser's credentials thoroughly and I am basically a trusting person. But there have been occasions when I've felt later that the organisation has sunk without a trace soon after the show, or that it has not done as much good work as I expected it would," says one artist under condition of anonymity.

This has made some artists cautious. Artists also charge that some galleries ask for their paintings for a fund-raising cause, but often end up buying the better-known signatures at a concession, and selling them later for a profit. And this affects the credibility of not just the artist but the charity too. "Most charitable institutions are, like a lot of artists, not well aware of market mechanics. They don't realise where they can be short-changed," says one insider.

Another artist claims that one of the better-known NGOs collects works for charity and sells them for a song, "spoiling the artists' established market".

The only way to clear such mistrust would be to make all transactions transparent.

Abhijit Lath, who runs Kolkata's Akar Prakar gallery, is not unduly enthused by charity art shows. "There's nothing much (in it) really, unless it's a one-off thing. When a person buys art at such a show, there is the sense that the buy is for a cause, and the buyer will probably not value the art as much. The artist also, in such a case, is not getting a patron. If the endeavour is to create either a patron for the arts, or for the cause, neither is met."

But what about the accusation that some artists, especially the bigger names, send not-so-good works for a cause sale? Answering for herself, young and vibrant Delhi artist Nupur Kundu, whose work was recently showcased at a charity show, says, "One has the conviction in one's creation and the question of creating a non-serious work does not arise."

Picture by K. Gopinathan

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