A look at the art market – reports suggest that confidence is slowly returning

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Even as speculations regarding the art market continue to make the rounds, a recent report on the Indian art market suggests that there is an overall increase in the confidence indicator compared to last year. It is noticed that the positive sentiment is on the rise. It has also been observed that the gap in confidence between the modern Indian and the contemporary Indian art market is widening, with the former measuring 51% higher than that for the contemporary Indian art market. Again, this may not be surprising as the modern artists have an established and a proven track record compared to the contemporaries.

Most readers will agree to this trend and may have arrived at a similar analysis themselves, based on the existing situation, and by also taking into account the fact that the economic situation is on the revival. Most collectors and investors who have invested in the art market will also be relieved to see the first positive signs, which are based on actual facts and figures.

The overall drop in confidence last year that was projected by various market reports based on statistical data and analysis resulted in a further slowdown of the art market where sales were negligible. In fact, in this phase not only were the sales affected, but also the number of art activities such as exhibitions and other events had gone down considerably. Now that the sentiment seems to be turning towards a positive note, it is also possible that some of the speculators may decide to make a comeback in the art market, once again. Although, this is likely in any market which is poised to grow over the years and one may have to wait and see how it eventually affects the overall art market in the long term.

Although, these are early signs of recovery and will help in creating a buoyant mood, it would be wise to adopt a slightly cautious approach in the interim, before investing huge amounts in the art market.

(Published in Financial Times)

Art Matters

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Now that summer is here, everywhere art activities are on the decline. Fortunately in Bangalore, we are at the fag end of the warm season, but most other places across the country are feeling the heat as temperature continues to rise. As most of you must be aware by now, art exhibitions dwindle considerably in number during this period and start picking up only after June.

Recently, nothing much of interest has come my way, except for the following exhibitions, which should be worth seeing - select works by Gieve Patel at Gallery Chemould in Mumbai, The Silent Expression - paintings and prints by Kanchan Chander at Icon Art, Hyderabad, and the show Fables & History by Maya Burman and Binoy Varghese has been extended at Gallerie Nvyā in New Delhi.

I also wanted to share this little bit of information about a talk and presentation on Career in Art Education, which will be held tomorrow at Gallery BMB in Mumbai. The talk will be delivered by Phil Whittaker, Director of Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Singapore and will include an overview of the international art markets and a presentation on potential career opportunities in the global visual arts market. Sotheby’s Institute of Art organizes a number of professional courses in art throughout the year and these vary in duration from a few days to a fulltime master’s program. The reason that I have mentioned it as part of this column, even though it is not being held in Bangalore, is because I feel strongly about the lacunae in our arts education system. As I have often suggested in the past, there is a real need to revamp and upgrade our educational programs, especially those related to the art business. After all, the art business has grown phenomenally in the last decade or so, yet apart from the regular art history and painting courses, there are hardly any other programs that cater to the affiliated services linked to art, such as art advisory services or the business aspects of the art market.

Fortunately, there is a lot of discussion going on about professional courses that can be offered in conjunction with the conventional ones at a number of academic institutes, however, how many of these will get translated into reality, we will know only in the future.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Bose says ‘NO’

(By Nalini S Malaviya)

Bose Krishnamachari, an artist, curator and a recently turned gallery owner, wears many hats with panache, and is now in the news for his solo exhibition that is currently on at 1x 1 Art Gallery, in Dubai. The title of the exhibition NO is unequivocal and emphatic, in characteristic style. Interestingly, in his curated shows too, the titles are clear and uncluttered. Based in Mumbai, Bose is a familiar and critically acclaimed name in contemporary art.

LaVA

Amongst his notable shows that come immediately to one’s mind is LaVA, (laboratory of visual arts), an installation, which was exhibited in Bangalore about four years ago at Gallery Sumukha. LaVA is essentially a mobile library that contains books, DVDs and CDs on a range of visual art practices such as cinema, architecture, design, fashion, cultural studies and philosophy, along with some of his collection of art objects. The archival project relooks at dated systems of disseminating information and knowledge and aims to redefine access.

NO

It is part of our vocabulary incessantly and has a powerful connotation, but how we choose to interpret it can make all the difference. According to Bose, “In Indian agnostic philosophy there is a constant denial of the apparent to reach out to the implied truth… The notion of ‘NO’ played up here therefore becomes a juncture of negotiation with the reality.” And, thus the artist elects to convert the negative monosyllable into a tool for positive change, and has expanded the concept to encompass wider issues of war, politics and identity in the artworks.

The exhibition features Stretched Bodies installations, a shelf Roots + Map = Mondrianity, White Ghost and the Red Carpet, No + No = Yes, Minus + Minus = Plus, Long Live! (Andy Warhol), Long Live! (Gandhi)and a few other works with equally intriguing titles. Following his maxim of going ‘maximum’, the Stretched Bodies series is a psychedelic set of paintings with maximum colour, texture, line, form and accidents. The Mondrian inspired shelf, an architectural work, which appears to be a map or a tree traces the journey of an artist in search of the ‘roots’ and extremities of existence. “The classificatory mode of mapping and grid creation puts events, imagination and ruminations into a system of global knowledge, which the artist would love to deal with again and again in his works (as seen in LaVA),” he explains.

In essence, the exhibition is about reaffirming faith in oneself, introspecting and being able to stand up for one’s beliefs. At the same time, ‘NO’ as a whole is a re-looking at history. Though contemporary art does not anchor itself much on history, Bose recognizes that any art produced at any point of time cannot move away from history. The works presented in the show speak of history of the contemporary world, history of both war and peace, of both justice and injustice and above all the human beings’ die-hard fight for equal rights to live and justice.

Bose who was guest curator at ARCO Madrid 2009 is currently curating a ‘show within a show’ called the Indian Highway which is going on in Denmark.

(Published in Bangalore Mirror)

Art Buzz (Bangalore) Irreverent Gene curated by Nalini Malaviya

A few images from the show, Irreverent Gene

Alok Bal

Prasanta Sahu

Pratul Dash

Rajiba Lochan Pani

Apurba Nandi

Birendra Pani

Debraj Goswami

Heeral Trivedi

Art Buzz (Bangalore) Irreverent Gene