Bangalore : Art shows galore

(Nalini S Malaviya)
The art scene in the city has picked up considerably over the last couple of weeks. The last few days went by in a whirl of activity for many of us, visiting a variety of exhibitions – photographs, paintings, installations and mixed media.
Two exhibitions that have ended but are worth mentioning are - the wild life photography show by M N Jayakumar that has been extensively covered and written about, and it was truly quite spectacular. There were some wonderful snapshots from the wild. Then ‘Silent Symphony’ featured pen and ink drawings by artist Babu Jattakar who incidentally is a faculty at the Applied Art Department, Chitrakala Parishath. The black and white landscapes were presented in a conventional style. They were excellent - pleasant compositions and affordably priced.


Another show, ‘Artists without Boundaries’, features a group of women artists from across the country. With names like Arpana Caur, Rekha Rao, Asma Menon, Gogi Saroj Pal, and Naina Kanodia among others, it seemed promising. But the collection could have involved a larger body of works, which would have offered greater insights into each artist’s oeuvre.
Rekha’s painting was a little different from her earlier series as it added a figurative element – a film poster - to her abstracted backdrop. Portraying the social issue of untouchability, Rekha has drawn from the legendary film actress Nutan’s defining film ‘Sujata’, also based on the same theme. Naina Kanodia’s works are delightful, with their photograph-like visuals. The figures always appear to be suspended in time, surrounded by their abundant worldly belongings. Arpana Caur presented Guru Nanak in her signature style, while Gogi Saroj Pal’s works have been painted with greater abandon than usual.
The exhibition is on at Renaissance Gallery for another week.
Meanwhile, Kaleidoscope 2008 kicks off today, featuring assorted works by various artists. It is on at Kynkyny art gallery till July 19.

And, finally I want to say I am delighted and touched that last week’s column has enthused at least a few photographers who are now keen on exhibiting their fine art photographs. I look forward to that.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

It's a good time to buy art

As the stock market continues its downward trend, there are a number of investors turning to art as an alternate investment option. In the past, we have discussed how domestic art is rapidly emerging as an asset class. Analysts confirm that despite last year's fall in the art index, this year it has been recording spectacular returns at both international and domestic auctions.

According to the latest ArtTactic Indian art market survey, the domestic and global economic situation is having an impact on the overall sentiments in the domestic art market. Despite this, both the Modern and Indian Art Market Confidence Indicators have reached new heights, showing the continued optimism in the market. Among the domestic contemporary artists T V Santosh, N S Harsha, Bharti Kher and Subodh Gupta take up the top positions.

At the recently concluded Saffronart's summer online auction 70 percent of the total lots were sold of which 66 percent were sold above their higher estimate. The sale grossed (inclusive of buyer's premium) USD 97.21 lakhs or Rs 38.88 crores. Subodh Gupta, S H Raza, Rashid Rana, and F N Souza continued their brilliant performances at this auction as well. At the upcoming Sotheby's Contemporary art auction this week, domestic artists such as Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher, T V Santosh, and Anish Kapoor, and a few others will also be featured. This incidentally is not an exclusive domestic art sale but features international artists and involves names such as Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon along with a host of other established artists. The sale is offering eight works by the Indian contingent. These works are estimated to be around £2 million. In fact, Anish Kapoor's untitled sculpture alone is estimated at £1-1 .5 million. This is an interesting phase for domestic art and the results from this auction will clearly indicate how domestic artists fare in a mainstream international auction.

However, it does appear that domestic art has found widespread acceptance at a global level and investing in art might be a smart decision.

(Published in Financial Times)

Fine Art Photography

There's reason for cheer as fine art photography emerges as the next big thing

(Nalini S Malaviya)

I met a couple of local photographers, recently, as part of a search for good photographers for an online portal. One of them, Vivek Mathew is an extremely talented youngster who has had successful shows in the city. His photographs of landscapes, objects, buildings and the monsoon (reflections in puddles and so on) were simply amazing. This, in fact is a good time to be a photographer. After the art boom, fine art photography is poised to be the next big thing in the country. Although the market is still nascent at the moment, the number of exhibitions of photographs and prints has gone up exponentially in the recent past. Mumbai and Delhi markets are comparatively a lot more mature compared to Bangalore. But, here too there are a number of exhibitions of fine art photography taking place. Varied themes such as wildlife, architecture, interiors, landscapes and people are captured through the lens and are creating waves in the art circles.


There are now dedicated galleries and portals to showcase fine art photography, which just goes to prove how the market is evolving. Many art galleries too have begun showcasing photographic prints either as an exclusive show or as part of a multi-media exhibit. There are many painters and other artists as well who are turning to photography. With their fine art background they bring a different kind of sensibility to this art form.
Worldwide, the market has been doing well for quite some time now. Sotheby’s, Christies and other international auction houses regularly hold auctions of vintage photographs. There is a growing awareness amongst collectors and investors regarding this medium, and while the market for prints might be under developed at the moment, it is one with a lot of potential.

When investing in photographs a few things that one can keep in mind are –
· Professional background of the photographer
· Edition size (less than 15 is a good idea) – the lower the better
· Use of good quality archival paper

Some of the photographers who are considered to be established and are known to be producing good quality works are Raghu Rai, Dayanita Singh, Pablo Barthomolew and Shibu Arakkal. But this list is endless, and there are many foreign photographers too who are exhibiting in India. As an emerging medium, prints are affordable at the moment, available in the price range of Rs 20,000 to a few lakhs.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art auctions good for investors

With so many art exhibitions taking place it can be very confusing for a buyer to decide on the art, artist and the medium to buy, especially from an investment perspective . The list of artists who are talented and are producing interesting works is endless . It becomes very difficult then to narrow down one's search and zero on to a winner . Given the choice to buy from an artist directly, a gallery or at an auction, the answer would depend on factors such as budget, individual preferences and knowledge of art.
You can buy directly from an artist if that artist is selling from his studio, but this scenario is fast getting outdated . Most good artists are bound by contract from galleries and usually do not sell works privately. When picking up art by students and new artists it is a good idea to buy directly from them. Investors who are knowledgeable about art may also choose to buy directly from the artist, but one must especially look for quality and the condition of the work. In general, the woks displayed at a gallery are of a better quality, as they are often either a part of a curated show or the best from the artist's collection. When buying from a gallery look for one that has an excellent reputation , organises shows of reputed artists and has established credentials in terms of transparency in dealing and good business practises.

Buying at an auction (secondary market) works well for those who are looking at art from a purely investment angle and have the requisite budget. Often one may be able to get top of the line works at an auction. Even if the prices are high (premium , commissions, taxes etc), it is well worth it. The biggest advantage is that the works come with a provenance , authenticity and are usually of good quality. When rare or an artist's best works show up at an auction there might be fierce bidding for it. But, in general, an auction is a great way to consolidate one's collection. And, for those who are looking at making the right investment , it makes sense to buy at an auction.

(Published in Financial Times)

Grants/Aid for deserving art students

The Smart & U Visual Arts Foundation (SNUVAF), a non profit organization, based in Mumbai, India has been set up to identify, research, build, and implement programs to make the Arts a part of many more people's lives. SNUVAF would like to provide grants to deserving art students (who are residents of India) for art education (1st year BFA onwards).

For more details check out:

http://smartnu.blogspot.com/2008/06/smart-u-visual-arts-foundation-aid-for.html