Paper Trail

The youngest artist in the show is 1954 born Arpana Caur,points out gallery owner Seema Subbanna,as one steps into Gallery Ensign at Geetanjali Enclave. Tucked in a basement,the location of the 2,200 sq ft gallery that opened last week is rather nondescript,but Subbanna feels that is not a deterrent. “Serious collectors will be willing to go a little out of the way for art,” says the former art consultant and visual merchandiser for Titan.

Subbanna has exhibited paper works by 21 senior artists,including A. Ramachandran,Sakti Burman,K.G. Subramanyan,Jogen Chowdhury and Jyoti Bhatt. Occupying wall space with them is Caur’s mixed media on paper where a female nude occupies the foreground,while an outline of buildings represents the urban scape.

Thota Vaikuntam’s miniature has Telangana women in charcoal,sans the bright shades of mustard and burned gold that define his canvas. The price tag reads Rs 40,000. The most expensive work,from the lot of over 40,is Laxma Goud’s pen and ink drawing of ghagra-clad women in a rural setting,priced at Rs 6 lakh.

“Canvas would cost much more. People want to own the work of renowned artists and paper work is a reasonable alternative,” says Subbanna. The gallerist has found her USP in “affordable art”. There is a lot more lined up,she promises.

The exhibition is on till July 10.

Contact: 46564790