26 Apr 2007
22 Apr 2007
Art Review - Chandana Kankaria
(By Nalini S Malaviya)
Chandana D Kankaria is back in the city to present her recent works. Her watercolors are once again inspired from nature, although a few larger works portray the city skyline, and interiors of homes. The artist offers, “You can’t hide or conceal anything when you work with watercolors. They are transparent and every stroke – whether right or wrong is visible to the naked eye”.
Chandana D Kankaria is back in the city to present her recent works. Her watercolors are once again inspired from nature, although a few larger works portray the city skyline, and interiors of homes. The artist offers, “You can’t hide or conceal anything when you work with watercolors. They are transparent and every stroke – whether right or wrong is visible to the naked eye”.
Most of her paintings are pleasant, and delicately rendered in soft shades. The artist has good control over the medium and is able to play around with light and shade effect, and colors. However, in some of her larger works what strikes a discordant note is the linear disproportion of skylines. Buildings that appear to be inclined at an angle create a visual conflict. The cityscapes bathed in brilliant hues form a large part of the collection. Then there are a bunch of balloons, drapes in a room and sidewalks with colorful umbrellas. The colors though are sometimes too bright and could be toned down for a more refined impact. The smaller works are based on nature and are beautifully evocative and follow a subtler color palette. The works have a cultivated air of romance and a pleasing ambience. Overall, it forms an appealing collection.
Chandana is a fine arts graduate from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath and has a penchant for watercolors. She has held a few solo shows in Bangalore and Chennai. An avid traveler, she finds inspiration from old buildings, pilgrimage places and nature.
The exhibition of paintings is on till April 26 at Time and Space art gallery, No.55, Lavelle Road, Bangalore - 1.
(Published in FT, Bangalore)
8 Apr 2007
Expression of Joy - Mandana Painting
(By Nalini S Malaviya)
These monochromatic paintings on paper are outstanding examples of tribal art done by Meena women from Rajasthan. Intricate designs of animals, birds and other motifs have been painted in exquisite detail. White pigment on brown paper has a stark yet delicate effect that resembles lacework, at times. A tree surrounded with parrots, tiger, peacocks and lotus flowers have been represented through linear drawings. Geometric patterns have also been used to fill up space and add decorative value. The result is quite stunning, especially because some of the works have been done on very large panels. What is also interesting is that most of these paintings are a result of group efforts yet it is impossible to detect any blemishes or oversights.
The Meena tribe is an ancient tribal group living in the eastern part of Rajasthan. The art form called ‘Mandana’ is practiced exclusively by women. For them it is an expression of joy on festive occasions. It is done on the mud walls of houses and traditionally, colored glass, beads, mirrors and stones are also used to decorate these paintings. The conventional art form is created using white chalk and brushes made of khajur or bamboo sticks. The end of the stick is crushed to form fine bristles. The mandanas are painted on walls and floors. Often, geometric patterns are painted on walls, while representational forms of animals, birds, plants and flowers are painted on the walls.
The exhibition titled ‘Joy of Creativity’ is on view till April 10 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumara Krupa Road and at Time and Space Art Gallery, # 55, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.
(Published in FT, Bangalore)
These monochromatic paintings on paper are outstanding examples of tribal art done by Meena women from Rajasthan. Intricate designs of animals, birds and other motifs have been painted in exquisite detail. White pigment on brown paper has a stark yet delicate effect that resembles lacework, at times. A tree surrounded with parrots, tiger, peacocks and lotus flowers have been represented through linear drawings. Geometric patterns have also been used to fill up space and add decorative value. The result is quite stunning, especially because some of the works have been done on very large panels. What is also interesting is that most of these paintings are a result of group efforts yet it is impossible to detect any blemishes or oversights.
The Meena tribe is an ancient tribal group living in the eastern part of Rajasthan. The art form called ‘Mandana’ is practiced exclusively by women. For them it is an expression of joy on festive occasions. It is done on the mud walls of houses and traditionally, colored glass, beads, mirrors and stones are also used to decorate these paintings. The conventional art form is created using white chalk and brushes made of khajur or bamboo sticks. The end of the stick is crushed to form fine bristles. The mandanas are painted on walls and floors. Often, geometric patterns are painted on walls, while representational forms of animals, birds, plants and flowers are painted on the walls.
The exhibition titled ‘Joy of Creativity’ is on view till April 10 at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumara Krupa Road and at Time and Space Art Gallery, # 55, Lavelle Road, Bangalore.
(Published in FT, Bangalore)
2 Apr 2007
Investing in Art
(By Nalini S Malaviya)
As art is increasingly being seen as a lucrative avenue for investment a large number of people have started buying art as a part of their investment portfolio. The Indian art market is doing extremely well internationally and there has been a marked increase in the number of non-Indian buyers. Bangalore based art collector Harish Padmanabha points out that the domestic market too is doing well thanks to a lot of free-floating money. However, there are various factors that govern the pricing of an artwork in the primary and the secondary markets. According to him, “Investment in art does not have the ease of liquidity that stocks and shares have. You cannot take it to the market and trade in immediately. Just as real estate is a long term investment opportunity, art is an even longer term investment option.” Having said that, it is still a good investment alternative to add to one’s portfolio apart from conventional assets such as stocks, shares, securities, gold and real estate.
It is estimated that currently the art market is growing at the rate of approximately 30% per annum; however, many individual artists have appreciated at a rate of 200% as well. H Padmanabha advises investors to begin with an amount of approximately Rs 20 lakhs to be able to buy a good body of work that comprises a judicious mix of established and upcoming artists. An amount of Rs 1-2 lakhs is an optimal sum to buy art for its decorative value, which may eventually turn out to be good investment in the long run. However, the percentage of risk is always higher when buying upcoming or lesser-known artists.
ET art index provides a quantitative evaluation of price trends and is computed on the basis of the average Square Inch Rate of works of art of India’s leading 51 contemporary artists. Manjit Bawa, MF Husain, FN Souza, Tyeb Mehta, VS Gaitonde, Akbar Padamsee, Ganesh Pyne, Paristosh Sen and Raja Ravi Verma are some of the well-known artists listed in this category. Investing in any one of these artists is a safe option, however their prices are already beyond the range of most investors.
The mid–segment bracket comprises of works of artists who are fairly established and could possibly be in a price range of Rs 5 – 15 lakhs* for an average sized work. These are the next group of artists who are most likely to hit the top league in the near future. The under Rs 3 lakhs category would comprise works by promising artists that are in the process of getting established and are beginning to make a name for themselves. Remember, investing in this group has the highest risk, but returns can also be spectacular in the long term, provided the artist sustains himself and the Indian art market continues to grow at the present rate.
*Prices mentioned are indicative and depend on the size and the medium of the artwork.
A few points to remember are
· Do a thorough assessment of the artist’s past performance and price trends.
· Always buy from a reputed dealer or art gallery.
· The gallery price of an artist is much lower than his auction rates.
· Make sure you get a provenance certificate (a letter of authenticity) from the seller.
· Take good care of your artwork, prices are directly related to the condition of the artwork. For instance, keep away from direct sunlight, focused light and dampness.
· Be extra cautious with artworks on paper.
· When reselling your artwork, remember there are gallery commissions, current price of the artist and tax implications, which will affect the profit margins.
(Published in FT, Bangalore and Delhi)
Comments closed for this post.
As art is increasingly being seen as a lucrative avenue for investment a large number of people have started buying art as a part of their investment portfolio. The Indian art market is doing extremely well internationally and there has been a marked increase in the number of non-Indian buyers. Bangalore based art collector Harish Padmanabha points out that the domestic market too is doing well thanks to a lot of free-floating money. However, there are various factors that govern the pricing of an artwork in the primary and the secondary markets. According to him, “Investment in art does not have the ease of liquidity that stocks and shares have. You cannot take it to the market and trade in immediately. Just as real estate is a long term investment opportunity, art is an even longer term investment option.” Having said that, it is still a good investment alternative to add to one’s portfolio apart from conventional assets such as stocks, shares, securities, gold and real estate.
It is estimated that currently the art market is growing at the rate of approximately 30% per annum; however, many individual artists have appreciated at a rate of 200% as well. H Padmanabha advises investors to begin with an amount of approximately Rs 20 lakhs to be able to buy a good body of work that comprises a judicious mix of established and upcoming artists. An amount of Rs 1-2 lakhs is an optimal sum to buy art for its decorative value, which may eventually turn out to be good investment in the long run. However, the percentage of risk is always higher when buying upcoming or lesser-known artists.
ET art index provides a quantitative evaluation of price trends and is computed on the basis of the average Square Inch Rate of works of art of India’s leading 51 contemporary artists. Manjit Bawa, MF Husain, FN Souza, Tyeb Mehta, VS Gaitonde, Akbar Padamsee, Ganesh Pyne, Paristosh Sen and Raja Ravi Verma are some of the well-known artists listed in this category. Investing in any one of these artists is a safe option, however their prices are already beyond the range of most investors.
The mid–segment bracket comprises of works of artists who are fairly established and could possibly be in a price range of Rs 5 – 15 lakhs* for an average sized work. These are the next group of artists who are most likely to hit the top league in the near future. The under Rs 3 lakhs category would comprise works by promising artists that are in the process of getting established and are beginning to make a name for themselves. Remember, investing in this group has the highest risk, but returns can also be spectacular in the long term, provided the artist sustains himself and the Indian art market continues to grow at the present rate.
*Prices mentioned are indicative and depend on the size and the medium of the artwork.
A few points to remember are
· Do a thorough assessment of the artist’s past performance and price trends.
· Always buy from a reputed dealer or art gallery.
· The gallery price of an artist is much lower than his auction rates.
· Make sure you get a provenance certificate (a letter of authenticity) from the seller.
· Take good care of your artwork, prices are directly related to the condition of the artwork. For instance, keep away from direct sunlight, focused light and dampness.
· Be extra cautious with artworks on paper.
· When reselling your artwork, remember there are gallery commissions, current price of the artist and tax implications, which will affect the profit margins.
(Published in FT, Bangalore and Delhi)
Comments closed for this post.
1 Apr 2007
Art Review - Surjit Khuman
(By Nalini S Malaviya)
Surjit Khuman in his first solo show in the city presents his recent works - a bright colorful world that resonates with fantasy and childish naivety. Titled ‘Dream World and Spicy Thoughts’ the paintings are a delightful blend of color and metaphorical nuances. He combines the innocence of children with a dash of mischief and humor in his choice of imagery. Pictures from National Geographic move him to create his own fantasy world where the protagonists are suspended as if trapped in time. Looking amused, bored, anxious, and even dumb they seem caught in a vividly colorful world that is far removed from reality, yet is inspired by ordinary activities. Tourists, deep sea divers, a cricket umpire form some of his subjects who look dumbstruck, awed and completely bored within their environments. A dream like quality permeates his works as he recreates scenarios with imaginative twists. An element of incongruity and humor creeps in his paintings as he places his subjects in unusual settings and juxtaposes unrelated objects to make his point.
Surjit Khuman in his first solo show in the city presents his recent works - a bright colorful world that resonates with fantasy and childish naivety. Titled ‘Dream World and Spicy Thoughts’ the paintings are a delightful blend of color and metaphorical nuances. He combines the innocence of children with a dash of mischief and humor in his choice of imagery. Pictures from National Geographic move him to create his own fantasy world where the protagonists are suspended as if trapped in time. Looking amused, bored, anxious, and even dumb they seem caught in a vividly colorful world that is far removed from reality, yet is inspired by ordinary activities. Tourists, deep sea divers, a cricket umpire form some of his subjects who look dumbstruck, awed and completely bored within their environments. A dream like quality permeates his works as he recreates scenarios with imaginative twists. An element of incongruity and humor creeps in his paintings as he places his subjects in unusual settings and juxtaposes unrelated objects to make his point.
Surjit has returned to painting after a gap of several years and has taken off from where he left. He has experimented with reverse painting and hopes to utilize printmaking techniques with painting mediums in his next show. He has done BFA (painting) and MFA (print-making) from M. S. University, Baroda.
There are thirty paintings priced between Rs 30,000 and Rs 60,000.
The exhibition continues till April 10 at Renaissance Art Gallery, # 104, Westminster,13, Cunningham Road, Bangalore - 560 052
(Published in FT, Bangalore)
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