How much for that?

In south Delhi’s Lado Sarai, you cannot escape the potholed lanes; however, during the recent Art Night Friday, where galleries hosted a vibrant opening night, such hazards were the least of one’s concerns. This season, seven galleries opened their exhibitions to an enthusiastic, wine-sipping crowd. Notably the clutch of exhibitions has been curated to appeal to younger collectors and they showcase up-and-coming artists whose works are priced between ₹50,000 and ₹5 lakh. Some works go up to ₹10 lakh, where the artist is already well-known or when the work is rather large. 

The rise and fall of the high-end art market are often regulated by pricing that is middle-of-the-road, and this is where exhibitions featuring young and emerging artists play a role. The toast this season in Delhi and Mumbai is what comes under the umbrella term ‘affordable art’. 

Aishwarya Pathy, for example, is a young collector inspired by contemporary artists from her generation, but she occasionally collects the Moderns. “I buy what I like and can afford. It is usually art that jumps out at me because it’s different and original — whether it’s the medium, technique or content. I find myself drawn to art that is disturbing or thought-provoking,” says Pathy, who has travelled to international art venues and has a fair idea of the global art scene. While her first acquisition was an Anjolie Ela Menon painting gifted by her mother, Rajshree Pathy, an eminent art collector and businesswoman, Aishwarya now collects works by younger artists such as Abir Karmarkar, Seher Shah and Alyssa Pheobus Mumtaz.

New names on the block

Notably, emerging artists work in mediums that are not the conventional oil or acrylic on canvas. Despite bold attempts by collectors to support alternative mediums, canvases continue to remain the money spinners since they are highly collectable and have a long shelf-life. Alternative mediums such as photography, etchings, sculpture and new-media work might demand more from their collectors in terms of maintenance but are also more affordable. 

Gallery Latitude 28’s owner Bhavna Kakar says, “If you start buying young, your collection serves as a unique narrative of your personal history. What was it about that particular work that made you buy it? What did you have to sacrifice in order to get it? Artworks remind you of where you were in your life, not just geographically but socially and psychologically too.” Kakar firmly believes one doesn’t have to buy expensive work or famous names to have a “real” art collection. “No matter how inexpensive the purchase, take whatever you buy seriously,” she advises.

Latitude 28, a leading gallery in the Capital, is usually known for promoting young, daring artists who push the envelope. Currently it is showcasing the art of Deepjoyti Kalita, who works with video installations, mixed media and inkjet prints. The artist takes a cynical, rather un-romantic look at the idea of big love. “Our relationships have become battlegrounds, and we are reduced to the contradictory roles of enemy and friend,” says the artist, whose work is priced between ₹65,000 and ₹1.75 lakh. 

Another interesting exhibition is ‘Thanatophobia’, by B Ajay Sharma, which is a collection of graphic prints and photographs hosted at Wonderwall Gallery, Delhi. While the theme behind the exhibition may seem rather grim —‘Thanatophobia’ is the fear of death and the works examine human mortality — they are highly collectable because of their aesthetic appeal. Also, the works are attractively priced, starting at ₹35,000 and going up to ₹4 lakh for a larger diptych. “We have had interest in his works and will be finalising sales,” says Ajay Rajgarhia, owner of the gallery. 

A new entrant in the Lado Sarai art village is Gallery Five. While it launched in March 2014 with an exhibition of MF Husain’s serigraphs, its current exhibition, ‘Excess Denied!’, features young artists like Arpit Biloria, Anjaneyulu Gundu, Deviba Wala, Shahanshah Mittal and Manish N Barodia. “Each of these artists have been chosen for this show after meticulous research,” says gallery owner Sanjay Sethia.

The works are technically superior, though the artists are young and still influenced by senior artists like Subodh Gupta and Anita Dube. They have, however, displayed innovative approaches to reinventing existing metaphors. For instance, Gundu’s ‘Onion Basket’ is a technically superb rendering of a steel utensil, but he takes it a step further by hinting at middle-class aspirations by painting colourful reflections of bright, packaged goods on the vessel.

In Mumbai, Galerie Mirchandani + Steinruecke recently hosted Art for Young Collectors 2014. It introduced young collectors to quality art by up-and-coming artists. The exhibition featured photographer Sandip Kuriakose, whose installations take inspiration from section 377 of the IPC, drawings by Abhinav Yagnik, Manali Rawat, who works in clay, sculptures by Ragini Bhow, watercolours on paper by Rajesh Kargutkar and Ratna Khanna. The works are technically sound and original in their approach to subjects that range from the topical to the spiritual.

E-canvas

Unlike most online art that only has a virtual presence, Art Alive has both a physical presence and a website that promotes young artists at affordable prices. Its two galleries in the National Capital Region display established and emerging art.

Its well-managed website, www.emergingartists.in provides online curated exhibitions that support young artists and give collectors affordable options.

“The online format widens our audiences while showcasing the entire gamut of fine arts — from conventional paintings to mix media, sculpture, photography, digital prints, installations and lithographs,” says gallery owner Sunaina Anand. 

So this Diwali, young collectors can aspire to acquire art that is pocket friendly and thought provoking.

Art for all

● www.artsquare.in — Provides a platform for around 1,000 highly skilled artists (₹500 to ₹30,000)

● www.storyltd.com/categories/art/ — The affordable cousin of leading online art portal www.saffronart.com; here one can shop for art, jewellery and furniture. It hosts online auctions with no reserve prices and at fairly modest final rates. (₹2,000 to ₹50,000)

● www.artslant.com/ind/main — Promotes both Indian and international artists ranging from high-end artists like Ganesh Haloi and Jogen Chowdhury to emerging names like Samir Aich and Sekhar Roy. (₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh)

( Georgina Maddoxis a Delhi-based art writer )

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