Art : Anu Jain

One of my readers Abha told me about artist Anu Jain. Anu had her first art exhibition in Bangalore recently, and although I could not see the works at the gallery, I did visit her website and I have to say I'm so impressed with this gutsy girl. Differently abled, she paints by holding her brush in between her elbows, but you need to look at her sketches and paintings to realise the amount of effort she must be putting in - incredible detailing and layering. There is so much of spontaneity and joy in her paintings that one can only applaud her indomitable spirit. Do see her works at her website. http://anujain.org

A world of fantasy - Gurusiddappa GE

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Bangalore based artist Gurusiddappa GE held a special preview of his recent works in the city. Titled ‘The first rain after a long summer’ this particular series will be exhibited later in Mumbai. A world of fantasy is created where ordinary people - men, women and children are transported into the realms of an imaginary zone. There are only 14 canvases on display, but Gurusiddappa’s predilection with larger than life images continues, and therefore his paintings dominate through sheer size and fantastic imagery. Technically Gurusiddappa is extraordinarily competent and his skill is remarkably demonstrated in these works as well.


Gurusiddappa won the National Award from the Lalitkala Academy, New Delhi in 2004. He completed his BFA in Painting from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat and then went on to do his MFA from MS University, Baroda. Gurusiddappa belongs to Chitradurga district in Karnataka and traces of his early days of childhood are evident in this particular series. The star lit sky, magical moments found in everyday elements, and ordinary people who dominate the canvas. Not to forget the children who caress the moon and ride mythical creatures against a backdrop of a glittering sky. What stands out is that there is a sense of theatrics and drama in his paintings. When you look at the dark sky with a million stars, or the moon held in the palm of a child as he flies across the sky riding a fabled creature, a delicious sense of nostalgia and warmth pervades. The canvases with children - presented in various forms – playful, innocent, curious and mischievous invoke a naïve appeal. In most of these works there are surreal elements that have been cleverly infused along with other elements of fantasy, which only add to their visual charm. This seems to work well in most of the paintings, except a few.

Gurusiddappa has drawn from his own experiences; for instance he worked earlier with street children and this has helped him to relate to their perspective and present it effectively. In one of the works, a couple of children look on while a pair of street dogs sway on a swing.
The other strong influence that is evident is his theatre experience - as an actor and a set designer – in the larger than life imagery and the arresting backdrops. According to Gurusiddappa literature and poetry in particular has also given shape to his art. This series is in many ways like the stanzas of a poem - each verse unfolds with a new canvas. However, some of the works appear repetitive, where the content remain the same and there are only slight variations, which makes them somewhat monotonous for the viewer. For instance, in a painting that could be autobiographical, Gurusiddappa balances his daughter on his legs, while resting against a delightful crescent moon. In the next painting the image is repeated with a woman holding the child on her lap.

The first rain after a long summerOctober 30 – November 2, 2007
Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore
The exhibition then moves to Mumbai from November 30 to December 17 at Sakshi Gallery.
(Initially published on mattersofart.com, but now the site seems to have closed down, so here's the review - NM )

Till Death Do Us Art

“I want to display a person dying naturally in the piece or somebody who has just died,” declared German artist Gregor Schneider on an online publication. “My aim is to show the beauty of death.” I came across this recently. The ultimate performance piece screamed the headline! Disturbing, grotesque, and shameful, were some of the epithets heaped upon the artist from readers worldwide. However, there were a few isolated voices that believe it is the ultimate form of art.

It makes one wonder, can the act of dying before an audience; qualify as a form of art? On one hand, my conservative and probably somewhat saner side is repulsed and disgusted at the thought of reducing death – the final act - to a stage performance. On the other hand, I’m reminded of other such artistic performances and installations where artists have used dead animals, meat, urinals and grotesque paintings to create art, which they believed in.
Damien Hirst immersed a 14-foot tiger shark in formaldehyde in the work titled ‘The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living.’ It is considered iconic. In 1917, Marcel Duchamp created ‘Fountain’ using a urinal as Found art. And, then you have Jana Sterbak, a Canadian artist, who likes to use meat to construct her artworks.
These are some of the instances of bizarre or untraditional artworks that often find critical acclaim but fail to find universal appeal.

Images courtesy wikipedia

For long we have associated art with aesthetics and beauty, but now in an age where reality television shows compete frenziedly to outdo the other, it seems a few artists too are joining this mad rush. How much more bizarre, shocking and monstrous can one get, seems to be the mantra. What can we do that has never been done before?

And, while some believe that this is the height of innovation, creativity and original expression, I suspect that these are in the minority. The majority of public finds such ventures attention-seeking gimmicks and publicity stunts. For them, it is difficult to comprehend that behind such acts lies a genuine intent to break boundaries and redefine new media art.
Our years of conditioning is such that it is hard to be totally accepting. What I can do on my part is to be less judgmental and remind myself that unconventional thoughts eventually lead to innovation and even invention.
But then, even as I write about this the hunt for a volunteer to die for this exhibition probably continues…

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Authenticity and provenance

With mega bucks riding the art wave, one has to be extra cautious when buying art. The value of an artwork is unquestionably linked to the name of the artist. In the event that there is any doubt as to the origin of the artwork, or there is a cloud of uncertainty over who the artist might be, the artwork becomes a controversial piece. To substantiate its authenticity may then require an extensive and expensive process.
Every time an artwork exchanges hands it is important to keep a track of its provenance. Art galleries give out authenticity certificates when you buy an artwork, which basically lists out details regarding the artwork and caries relevant signatures to authenticate it. However, in the secondary market when you buy at an auction or from a dealer or even a private collector/investor apart from the authenticity certificate it helps to have a provenance or history of the artwork. This helps in further ensuring that a work is authentic and the investment you are making is sound.

One hears of instances where a painting was offered for sale but then the prospective buyer had doubts about its originality. Unsure whether it was a fake or an original, the buyer chose to opt out of the sale, which is a wise decision. Now that sales of works by Indian modern and even some contemporary artists involve lakhs to crores of rupees, it makes sense to be 100 percent sure about its authenticity. It also follows that one should buy art from only reputed sources, whether it is an art gallery, an auction house, an online dealer or an individual one must be certain of the seller’s credentials before deciding to buy the artwork. As a buyer you must keep all records of the transaction, which will then come in useful when you want to sell of the work.

(Published in Financial Times)

Indian Art Market Confidence - May 2008

The latest ArtTactic Indian art market survey shows that the global economic situation is having an impact on the overall sentiment in the Indian art market. Despite this, both the Modern and Contemporary Indian Art Market Confidence Indicators have reached new heights, showing the continued optimism in these market.

The overall ArtTactic Indian Art Market Confidence Indicator fell 13% from the last reading in October 2007. The Indicator has been hit by a 54% drop in both current and future confidence in the economy. With India`s inflation surging to a more than 3-year high, global financial markets in decline, and crude oil hitting $125 a barrel, the economic prospect looks less promising than 6 months ago. And as the economic component of the confidence indicator carries a 33% weighting in the overall Indian Art Market Confidence Indicator, the significant loss in confidence weighs heavily on the overall results.

Artists covered in this survey:
F.N.Souza, M.F.Husain, Ram Kumar, S.H.Raza, Akbar Padamsee, Himmat Shah, Jogen Chowdhury,Arpita Singh, Krishen Khanna, Rameshwar Broota, KG Subramanyan, Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, Tyeb Mehta, Zarina Hashmi, Anju Dodiya, Atul Dodiya, Shibu Natesan, Sudarshan Shetty, Ravinder Reddy, Nataraj Sharma, Surendran Nair, Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher, Jitish Kallat, Thukral & Tagra, Rashid Rana, T.V. Santhosh, N.S. Harsha, Ryas Komu, Justin Ponmany.
The ArtTactic Indian Market Confidence Indicator was launched in May 007, and this month will act as the base month for the indicator. Data is collected and made available every 6 months. The sample includes around 80 respondents, which consists of curators, collectors, dealers, galleries and auction houses operating in the Indian art market.
http://www.arttactic.com//

Art Bytes

Last week I should have mentioned about the Artes Mundi prize that was recently awarded to the Mysore based artist NS Harsha. UK’s prestigious 40,000 pound award is considered to be one of the largest international art awards. In fact, Harsha beat eight other nominees to win this prize. Way to go Harsha!

Incidentally, you must have noticed that the art scene is kind of quiet at the moment, especially in Bangalore. There are very few shows happening and even fewer that are worth talking about. Well, the summer heat is definitely taking a toll on all of us!

As I write this, the Hong Kong Art Fair (14 – 18 May) – a new annual art fair is going on. Limited edition prints, installations and paintings by world famous artists such as Picasso are available, where prices range from HK$7,500 to HK$275 million! In fact, according to the official website, one hundred galleries from 20 countries are showing thousands of works of art - from Andy Warhol to Zhang Xiaogang. Browsing through the list of galleries, I found a few such as Chemould and Vadehra art galleries from India, but none from Bangalore – at least none that I could spot.
Talking about art fairs, you must have read about the India Art Summit that is being organized in New Delhi in August this year. The event aims to bring together various players, such as artists, critics, galleries, dealers, auction houses, framers, and others who are associated with the art field, on to a common platform. There will be art exhibitions, installations, talks and opportunities to network for the various participants. The first of its kind event in the country, the summit has been planned along the lines of international art fairs and plans to have participants from across the world. Here’s looking forward to that.

Back in Bangalore, starting May 17 Gallery Sumukha is organizing a week-long sculpture workshop at its premises with sculptors such as Gopinath S, Jyotsna Bhatt, Karl Antao, Laxma Goud and Venkat Bothsa amongst others. The artists will create sculptures in clay, which will be later cast in bronze. Viewers are invited to visit the gallery and interact with the artists at specified timings. Some of you will remember that in 2004 the gallery had organized a similar workshop in printmaking with eminent artists proficient in printmaking. I happened to miss that workshop but hopefully will be able to visit this one.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

India Art Summit 2008: Art meet brings fraternity together

India 's first art summit is happening in New Delhi later this year. Formulated along the lines of international art fairs, the summit plans to bring together various players associated with the Indian art scenario on a common platform. According to a press release, this initiative will bring together a range of stakeholders supporting the business and development of art in India - artists, galleries, art funds, auction houses, art insurers, art framers, art valuators and restorers, art movers and packers, interior decorators and architects, reputed commentators and art critics from across the world. The event supported by veteran artists Anjolie Ela Menon and S H Raza, among others, promises to be an interesting and useful experience. Apart from providing various galleries the opportunity to showcase their artists, a one-day forum will also be organised that will have experts talk on issues that are relevant to the development and the business of art.

Anjolie Ela Menon who was in Bangalore recently for a short visit feels that an event such as this provides a great opportunity for all those involved with the art scene to come together and interact. Also, the summit will be open to public, and people from across all fields will have access to it. She explains that there will be discussions on issues such as taxation, legal aspects of fakes, rights for reproductions , copyrights and other relevant subjects. Hopefully, the dialogue between various agencies will also help in the regularisation of the art market. There is a need for a collaborative effort of this kind and the India art summit certainly promises a lot for all those connected with art. Finally, how can one resist asking Anjolie Ela Menon about the trend of investing in art? She feels it is a positive trend and now there is a lot of interest in avantgarde art. And, this is a good time to hang on to one's art and not be in a hurry to sell.

(Published in Financial Times)

An evening with JMS Mani

Last week I went for Ananya Drushya’s interactive session with the artist of the month. This month features JMS Mani, who most of you will know from his very popular ‘Badami’ series. Mani was invited to talk about his art and events that have shaped his artistic career. Initially reluctant to speak, Mani did talk at length about his early days with RM Hadpad (Founder of Ken School of Art), his exposure to different media, making prints, turning down a seat at the MS University, Baroda (which he admitted he regrets sometimes) and so many other lesser known facts associated with his life. He sportingly shared anecdotes that were not only delightful but refreshingly honest and sans frills. Such a pity that there were so few of us in the audience! Fortunately, (SG) Vasudev felt the need to repeat the interactive session at a later date and hopefully it will happen again sometime this month.Incidentally, Mani studied and then taught at Ken School of Art and retired from there as the Principal recently. The prints of his works that were on exhibit offered a valuable insight into his growth as an artist – lithographs, drawings and paintings from his early days to the present were on display. As Vasudev pointed out, Ananya attempts to showcase a retrospective wherever possible. I liked Mani’s early black and white works much more than the colourful men and women from the ‘Badami’ series. But, it so happens that this series is what defines him. The rustic appeal and the apparent spontaneity of vibrant colours in these paintings draw the viewer. For so many successful artists this can be such a vicious trap – they are forced to paint what the buyers want, but then critics pan them for repeating their works and not trying out anything new. A Catch 22 situation for them, don’t you think? Maybe sometimes we are too quick in judging artists; it helps to remember that at the end of the day this too is a profession for them. Artists also need to make ends meet and have families to support.
But then, I find artists today are much more experimental in their approach and are willing to take risks. If you look at the results of a few past auctions, what stands out is that contemporary artists who are trying out different media and genre are doing exceptionally well.

Contemporary art commanding high prices

The much-awaited Sotheby’s auction of Indian art far exceeded expectations. The recently held auction fetched £4.28 million, which in fact is much higher than the pre sale estimate of £2.4-3.4 million. At the auction 79% of the lots were sold. According to a press release from Sotheby’s, 67% of the lots sold for prices higher than their pre-sale high estimate and 11 new auction records were established for names including Rabindranath Tagore and Jitish Kallat, among others. F N Souza’s ‘The Red Road’ fetched £5,80,000 against an estimate of £2,50,000-3,50,000.A new auction record by medium was also set for Subodh Gupta. An Untitled canvas by Subodh Gupta was the top selling work of this group, achieving £264,500 against a pre-sale estimate of £70,000-100,000 and establishing a new auction record for a canvas by the artist. Amongst other notable results, Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Death Scene’, which made £144,500 against an estimate of £15,000-20,000 and his ‘Bird’, which sold for £70,100; and Jamini Roy’s ‘Santal Couple’ which sold for £29,300. Incidentally, Tagore’s ‘Death Scene’ established a new auction record for the artist. Along with Subodh Gupta, Bharti Kher, TV Santosh, Jitish Kallat, Thukral and Tagra performed exceedingly well.
One can safely say that the auction results reiterate the interest and acceptance worldwide for Indian contemporary artists. International themes combined with Indian ethos appear to be winning over global audiences.


Coming up next is the ‘Celebration of South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art at the Christie’s auction next month. This auction in fact will also see the Ambanis put up 12 works from the Harmony Art Foundation in association with Barclays Wealth. The proceeds will go to the Harmony Foundation, which was established by Tina Ambani in 1995. The artworks are estimated to raise more than Rs 81 crores. Christie’s will also be exhibiting 32 works from Tina and Anil Ambani’s private collection, which includes artists such as M F Husain, Tyeb Mehta and S H Raza along with leading names in contemporary art such as Atul Dodiya, Jitish Kallat, TV Santhosh and Riyas Komu.

Indian Art Summit 2008

Eminent artist Anjolie Ela Menon who is in Bangalore briefly took a little time off from her busy schedule to talk to me about the upcoming India Art Summit 2008 to be held in New Delhi later this year. The summit aimed towards the development and business of art is modelled on international art fair formats. Anjolie Ela Menon explains, “A summit like this is a great idea that will help to bring in all the players associated with the art scene – artists, critics, gallery owners, framers, publishers and others together on a common platform.”
The Art Summit is an initiative by Hanmer and Partners who have been involved earlier with charity art auctions and Anjolie decided to be involved with their proposed summit as she was impressed with their professionalism and their grasp on topics and issues related to art.


To be held at the Pragati Maidan, Delhi in August, Anjolie feels the venue itself will help draw in people from across all strata. According to her, “At art galleries one finds only the elite classes whereas a venue like this makes it much more accessible to all. There are many galleries from across the country participating in the events. Then are seminars planned which will see noted speakers from across the world talk about development and growth of Indian art.”
She feels that the summit will also offer the general public an excellent opportunity to mingle and interact with the artists, which does not happen usually.
With this we come to en end to the conversation about the art summit and discuss a little bit about the investment scene in the country before signing off.

(Published in part in Bangalore Mirror)