Show and Tell

Among the numerous artists who debut at private galleries round the year (where,unlike in public spaces,venues cannot be booked and gallerists take a call) only a handful manage to strike out an independent existence. So how do gallerists prepare them for their first big show? And how do they decide which artist is worth their time?

Gallerists say they have their own criterion for picking up newcomers to exhibit. “I need to believe in the artist; only then can I convince others,” says Parul Vadehra,director of Vadehra Art Gallery,Defence Colony.

There’s also a lot of hand-holding involved. “In a group show,its just one or two works,but a solo is a huge responsibility,” says Kakar,who printed special catalogues for Nasir’s solo,to distribute it among those on her mailing list. “The aim is to get the people to reach the gallery,then the work does the talking,” she adds. On December 18,Kakar will introduce the work of New Zealand-based Nandita Kumar. “I am in constant touch with her,discussing what would appeal to the Delhi audience,” she says.

“Young collectors entering the market are interested in the work of new artists as well. One goes by instinct— at times the artist has participated in group shows earlier,at other times he might not be known in the circuit at all ,” says Aparajita Jain,director,Seven Art Limited,pointing out that artist Akshay Rathore,who debuted at her gallery earlier in the year,notched up sales figures of over 50 percent at his first outing.

Getting art collectors to attend the show,however,requires substantial effort. With her background,Nawaz Singhania,wife of entrepreneur Gautam Singhania had star power to support her in her debut show,Movement,Dance and Speed at Chawla Art Gallery,in Delhi. Those in attendance included Raveena Tandon,Jas Arora,restaurateur AD Singh,fashion designer Rina Dhaka and artists Paresh Maity,Jayshree Burman and Sanjay Bhattacharya. “The footfall is higher if the artist is well-known in the social circuit,but people need to like the work to purchase it,” says Chawla.

The returns though,are not instant. Seema Subbanna,director,Gallery Ensign,might have had senior Kolkata-based artist Samir Aich making his solo debut in Delhi in the exhibition Nerve Line of Being,but coinciding it with the Commonwealth Games reportedly led to dismal attendance. Subbanna states that it’s important to have patience while promoting debutants. “One needs to keep in touch with the artists and inform them of curatorial shows,where their work might be solicited,” she says.