Beyond the commerce of art
As a host of art galleries are ready to take part in the carnival of visual arts, the much-hyped India Art Fair at New Delhi, the role of private art galleries in the lives of artists’ stands further reinforced. Nonika Singh explores whether the relationship of co-dependency works in favour of art or not

Above: Paramjit Singh (extreme left) feels there’s a need to delve into the real role of galleries Right: Works of Paramjit Singh on display at an art gallery

The much-touted India Art summit, rechristened India Art Fair, is back with a host of art galleries in tow. It is a grand total of 91, out of which 46 are from India. And it’s not just the India Art Fair that showcases gallery power in the world of art, many private art galleries seem to have taken upon themselves to showcase India’s art.

It is time to take stock of what exactly is the role of galleries, which have come up in the recent past in India. How significant are they in an artist’s life, who would rather focus on creative process rather than the mundane business of selling and buying? Eminent artist Arpana Caur, who calls herself an out and out gallery artist, doesn’t know if she can find any other way. The ‘computer-illiterate’ artist doesn’t even carry a cellphone. She thinks the best way to market her work is through galleries.

Landscape master Paramjit Singh, whose work is represented by three galleries in India, agrees that galleries are indeed very important. But having said that, he also feels the need to delve into the real role of galleries. According to him, it is, "To serve as middlemen, to act as a facilitator between buyers and sellers is not the only function of galleries."

Of course, during the recent boom, the triumvirate of the artist, gallery and the collector has grown rich together. Alka Pande, well-known art historian and critic, quips, "Art business is not just another business. Galleries need to have a vision." But do they have a farsighted perspective? By and large, the answer is no, as many galleries are but an alias for interior decorators. Add to it the fact that a majority work like shops. Nothing wrong with that either, argues gifted artist Siddarth for after all they have to make money. He says, "The problem arises when galleries hype the market value of certain mediocre artists, which they find easy to work with, and thus work to the detriment of quality art."

But what is good and what isn’t? Isn’t that too a matter of judgment? One man’s meat is after all another man’s poison. Young upcoming artists, often rejected by one gallery, find a promoter in another, who gives them the much-needed break. But that doesn’t mean that galleries can make or mar an artist. However, among their several responsibilities, one is certainly to spot young talent and nurture it. Without Peter Nagy of gallery Nature Morte, Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra agree that that they wouldnhave been where they are today. Indeed, many a cutting-edge artist has been discovered by galleries. Siddarth, however, feels that far from being trendsetters, galleries blindly follow fads. There are several galleries, which commission artists to do certain kind of work, aping trends, they believe, are popular in the West.

But is the gallery business in India modelled after its Western counterpart? Yes, and no. First and foremost, unlike in the West where artists are fully dependent on galleries, in India artists can rent out space directly and hold exhibitions. Thukral says while international galleries take care of every single need of artists, most galleries in India have a "couldn’t-care-less" attitude towards the art fraternity.

According to veteran artist Prem Singh, the most crucial difference is that the gallery business in India is neither organised nor ethical. Yes, there are exceptions like say the Alkazi Gallery. But then, a few swallows do not a summer make. And this is precisely the reason why he has stayed away from galleries, and yet stood his ground disproving that artists can’t survive without galleries.

Sunaina Anand, Director, Art Alive Gallery, however, disputes the contention, "Many artists, who have tried to deal with buyers directly in the past, have burnt their fingers. They may have been able to sell some of their works but in the process their creativity took a hit." And to those who bemoan the presence of what they call "auntyji" galleries set up by rich bored hausfraus with little understanding of art, she counters, "Perhaps, it was true a few years ago but not anymore."

Internationally acclaimed artist Vibha Galhotra, defends businessmen venturing into art. "There is nothing wrong if people with extra cash jump onto the bandwagon of art business, provided they are willing to learn on the way. Look at how Vadhera Art Gallery has transformed itself over the years and even gone into art publishing." Sunaina proffers, "Those who were out to make a quick buck closed down as quickly. Today, most galleries understand not only which way the art cookie crumbles but also go out of the way to project artists responsibly and seriously. Artists like Subodh Gupta and Paresh Maity are shown with proper documentation of their work. Why, often we even do curatorial projects in which a whole lot of research is required."

According to Seema Bhalla, freelance art writer and scholar of art history, today the curator is a more significant factor than galleries. Sure, galleries are still needed to showcase art. But when curators pick and choose artists according to their mettle, talent doesn’t get a short shrift. Anand, however, argues that curators are not a new phenomenon. Curators like Geeta Kapur have been doing shows ever since ever. So what’s the new path that galleries are treading? Or they would rather not take chances. Galhotra feels that galleries the world over play safe. She adds, "It’s only once in a while that men like Charles Saatchi come along, who follow their conviction. He not only bought works of avante garde artists but also set up Saatchi gallery in London."

Closer home, she cites the example of galleries like Abadi Art Space, Latitude 28 and Exhibit 320, which go out of the way to provide space to experimental artists working in unconventional media. That upcoming artists need galleries is undisputable but do galleries need artists? Indeed, as Pande says, "It’s a relationship of co-dependency." Galleries, too, are known by the artists they represent. Thukral even calls it a marriage where both partners have to not only repose faith and trust in each other but also pass the loyalty test. Artists, who switch galleries, tend to lose out in the long run. And in times, when art market has slowed down galleries, too, need to stand by the artists they represent.

Nagy professes, "These days, in most of the shows we know that we won’t be making any money but we go ahead for we believe in the artistic worth of our artists." Does that imply the artist gallery relationship has weathered the recent recession in which even the art industry took a beating? Sunaina avers, "Yes, it has and the proof lies in the fact that the art fair is back and so are we." So the relationship may have chinks. Not all galleries might be ready to be more of givers than takers.

Galleries are here to stay to play a defining part in the lives of artists. One can only hope that in times to come galleries will play a more proactive role in promoting art awareness.

Win-win for buyers

Galleries need artists and vice versa. But do buyers need galleries? Without a doubt. Buyers trust galleries with which they have had a long-lasting relationship. While dealing with galleries, they are not only assured of quality but also of the genuineness of art works. In the art world teeming with fakes, only a gallery can assure them of original works. How much of the market share of art is controlled by galleries is hard to say.

Virtual fair

nIn 1936, an enterprising businessman started the Dhoomimal Art Gallery, the first private gallery of India. Today, New Delhi has more than a 100 galleries.

nMost private art galleries are concentrated in New Delhi Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and other metros, which is not surprising, say experts. A similar trend can be discerned the world over. 

nOf late, online art galleries are becoming very popular. India also saw its first online Art Fair India Art Collective in which prestigious galleries such as Chemould Prescott Road, Nature Morte, Gallery SKE, Vadhera Art Gallery, Gallery Espace and Apparao Galleries, among others, participated. Art Alive was not a part of the fair but has started its online gallery Emerging Artists.com. Its director feels future of all business, including art, is online.