Documenting the Bangalore Art Scene with Perfumes!

Suresh Kumar, an artist and self-appointed documentarian has documented several years of the Bangalore art scene, when collective groups and spaces were at a nascent stage.

 

Suresh Kumar of Samuha fame, who most people in Bangalore will recall had initiated a collective project run in 2009 in Bangalore, where over a period of one year a number of artists had slots for exhibitions in a space that was collectively rented. The project was widely appreciated and Suresh went on to present his ideas and vision about Samuha on various fora. Then, Suresh went on to video record events in Bar1, Chitrakala Parishad and Ananya Drushya (you can read more about this initiative here).

Perfumed Arts all over Bangalore

Calling it the Perfumes project, Suresh explains, “I was trying to present Bangalore artists and the scene online in a more organized way. The name Perfumes is a combination maybe of Performance and an idea of a bouquet…”

Suresh writes a detailed introduction on how he took up the role of a documentarian and how he views the current art scene, especially in Bangalore. He laments about the current state of art matters, how art students are going back to their native towns after graduation and how Suresh had to step up and adopt the role of a ‘recordist’.

He has recorded events at Samuha, Jaaga, 1Shanthi Road and the government-owned Venkatappa Art Gallery. You can read about his experience here and then follow the link to view the videos here.

Artist Profile: Barbara Ash

This week we profile Barbara Ash, an artist based in Bangalore and Bristol, U.K. I saw her works for the first time at Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore as part of a show and found her 'Doll' sculptures refreshingly different. These explore notions of identity and power relating to individual and media created perceptions of femininity.

 

According to Barbara, she  creates installations, sculptures and drawings that explore the world of feelings and expression, through large-scale toy and doll imagery. She trained at the Royal College of Art, London, and has been working in India since 2006; she fell in love with Bangalore and has been based there since 2010.

Barbara's idiosyncratic work celebrates colour and curves, and works on different levels, from sardonic humour and gentle critique to simple objects of visual pleasure and exuberance. She is currently developing a large body of fibre-glass pastel-painted sculptures for an otherworldly installation "Soft Power" playing with ideas of femininity and individuality.

You can view more of her works here. 

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis. If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the guidelines listed under Submit.

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6 Tips On How To Approach An Art Gallery And Find Gallery Representation

For new and upcoming artists it may be difficult to approach an art gallery and find gallery representation. Here are a few points to help you get started.

It may often be difficult for an artist to find that first foothold in an art gallery. Art schools cover every aspect of art history, artists, techniques and skills but rarely cover the practicalities of establishing yourself as an artist. Many new and upcoming artists struggle for gallery representation and for inclusion in group exhibitions. In such a situation, having a solo exhibition with the support of an art gallery becomes even more elusive.

Therefore, those who pass out of art schools or have been learning painting informally need to know how to approach a gallery. Remember, galleries receive so many portfolios, images and requests from artists that most of the time it is physically impossible for them to go through each of these and get back to the artist.

Have A Systematic Approach

1. Annual art exhibitions: These are organized by art schools annually and it is one of the ways to get noticed by gallery managers and representatives: These events are popular with gallerists, curators and art connoisseurs as they scout around for emerging talent, to buy art at affordable prices and to look for potential participants for future exhibitions. However, in the current weak economy, this trend is greatly reduced. Certain art school events become synonymous with quality artworks and I know a few people who make it a point to visit the annual event at MS University, Baroda, Shantiniketan and Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore.

It therefore makes sense that even students rise to the occasion and put in effort to create artworks which stand out. If this works well and a gallery signs you up for a future show, then you are amongst the fortunate ones and all you will need to worry about is living up to the expectations of the gallery.

2. Reference point: One of the best ways to get a gallery to review your portfolio and to agree to meet you is by ‘reference’. If an artist or a curator who is either working with the gallery or is involved with them in any way, refers you and your artwork, there is a very good chance that the gallery will be at least willing to look at the images of your works.

3. Shortlist: Zero in on the galleries that you would like to approach. It doesn’t make sense to send your artworks to all the galleries possible, because your art may not be suitable for many of them. For instance, a gallery specializing in photography will not be interested in your paintings or videos. Therefore look for a match, and it need not be in the same city.

4. Contact the Gallery:

• Create a portfolio: Make an artist portfolio with your best images, an excerpt from your artist statement, resume and selected exhibitions. Ensure it looks professionally done.
• Contact: Send an e-mail to the gallery - write a polite covering letter and send your portfolio to the gallery. Make sure it includes your contact details and has a link to your website/ blog. I feel a soft copy is so much better than an envelope with copies of photographs or a CD, which can sometimes remain unopened.
• Follow up: You can follow up with the gallery after a reasonable amount of time, say about two to three weeks and request for an appointment.

5. Be visible: You can also participate in juried exhibitions and apply for art grants, which may give you visibility.

6. Network: Networking with the right people can really get you places. Visiting art shows and events and being active online will allow you to grow your network of like-minded people, which will help you in getting advice and references for galleries to approach and also about participation in possible group shows.

Final Tips

• Keep the content limited; nobody has time to go through hundreds of images and pages and pages of written material.
• Allow sufficient time to pass before you follow up with a gallerist/curator.
• Always make an appointment before you show up at the gallery.

There is no quick fix solution, but as an artist who is talented you will find the right gallery for you. Be patient and persevere.

I hope this helps you and if you have any other tips for upcoming artists, then I would love to hear from you. It would be great to learn from your experience and I’m sure new artists will appreciate it. Share with us in the comments section below or you can even send me an email.

If you enjoyed reading this article and you think it could help others as well, please share it using the social media widgets at the top.

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Artist Profile: Asha Sudhaker Shenoy

This week we profile artist, Asha Sudhaker Shenoy, a self-taught artist who took to art after retirement.

Asha paints mainly in oil, while also doing watercolor sketches. She loves Indian dance and her recent series on Kathak dancers was exhibited in a Group Show in October 2013. She loves to do portraits and figurative paintings. She continues to learn the intricacies of painting from the Internet, which she feels, is a boon for anyone who wants to acquire knowledge in any field. She is happy that she has made art her profession post retirement and is enjoying it.

 You can view more of her works here.

Art Scene India now features artists on a regular basis.  If you wish to be profiled on artsceneindia.com, please send in your submissions according to the guidelines listed under Submit.

Related posts,

Artist Profile: Promod Gaikwad

Artist Profile: Shruti Vij

Artist Profile: Aniqa Fatima

Artist Profile: Mini Arora

Artist Profile: Saurabh Turakhia

Consider sharing this post if you like it.
 

Tips: How to Create an Online Presence

For artists, photographers and writers it is important to have a strong online presence. Here’s what you can do to create one. 

In today’s Internet age, it has become vital to create an online presence which supports your artistic and entrepreneurial practice. In India, access to computers and the Internet has risen enormously in the last few years, however I still find that many artists and writers are reluctant to utilize and leverage the advantages of building an online presence.

What is an online presence?

An online presence is the consolidated result of multiple efforts and activities around your website, social media networks, your interactions on various fora, any articles that you may have written and press/media coverage. Now, what this does is it creates an identity which represents you and your activities in the virtual world.
It is important to realize that it takes time and effort to build an online presence and be patient.

Advantages of an online presence

One of the major advantages that I find is that it allows me to connect with people who have a similar interest and in this case with artists, writers and art connoisseurs. It therefore allows one to have a much wider reach and lets you connect with gallerists, dealers, writers, curators, potential buyers and so many other people who would otherwise find it impossible to access you. It is also a great way to build your brand and expand your business.

Have a Website or Blog

The first thing that you can do is to create a website or a blog which represents your art or writing, showcases some of your works, gives some details about your exhibitions and shows, articles, lists out your profile in brief and provides links to other websites that sell your work, have articles either by you or about you.

I think it’s very important to create a website which appears to be professional – well designed with a good format that lays out all the important information prominently and has quality content free from grammatical errors. An attractive looking website is definitely an advantage and here is where your artistic sensibilities can be put to good use!

Be Social

Social media is not just about posting images and the occasional comment, but I see it more as building a relationship. And, it is really interesting how you start getting to know people even when you interact with them just in the virtual world and have never met them otherwise.

Facebook is one place where I find so many artists and other creative people, so it appears that most artists are already utilizing at least one social media option. But there are other options as well, Pinterest and Instagram work very well for image oriented content.

Google+ is another great tool which allows you to create communities, share images and information and to also connect through hangouts. I now find a lot of artists and photographers on G+. It is also a great way to present your artworks and to find potential clients. Linkedin also works well for the art community, especially the business side of it.

I think there are very few artists from India on Twitter and I really wonder why, because it seems to be a great place to tweet about your latest artwork, blog post or an event, etc and to reach out to a really large number of people.

Some of the points to remember here are

• Share other artists’ and writers' works too
• Comment frequently and try to say something positive about others’ works
• Please don’t keep posting the same image over and over again
• Do not start chatting the moment you see someone online, I know some people find it irritating and it’s always better to first send a mail or message.
• Always make sure that you provide a link to your website so that people have the option of visiting it.
• When you post images it is a good idea to mention a few lines about it.

I hope this helps you and if you are already well versed with the tools to building a strong online presence, then I would love to hear from you. It would be great to know what has worked for you and what is the ONE advice that you would give others. Share with us in the comments section below.

If you enjoyed reading this article and you think it could help others as well, please share it using the social media widgets at the top.