Spaced Out

As opposed to its bungalow-like gallery in Bangalore,GALLERYSKE’s space in the Capital appears to be a brave one. Its single-exhibiting area in a commercial building in Connaught Place looks like an experimental laboratory in a city known to accommodate time-tested spaces such as the National Museum or the National Gallery of Modern Art,as well as private biggies such as Vadehra Art Gallery and Delhi Art Gallery. Yet,the city is not unforgiving towards the edgy and alternative,evident from thriving spaces such as Khoj or Abadi art gallery. So,when GALLERYSKE,on the completion of its 10th year,opened a branch on November 25,we welcomed another comrade.

Founded in 2003 by Sunitha Kumar Emmart with just two artists,the gallery now represents 13 artists,with prominent names such as Bharti Kher,Sudarshan Shetty,Sheela Gowda,Avinash Veeraraghavan and Navin Thomas. “In Bangalore,we always had a high number of people visiting the website and we realised that looking at the works in a two-dimensional format is very different from watching it in an actual physical space,” says Emmart,“The rule of the gallery is to facilitate a dialogue between the artist and the viewers. With this new gallery,we’re just increasing the viewership. It is also the Capital,with a larger audience and possibilities of more collaborations.”

GALLERYSKE Delhi is currently hosting works by all its 13 artists,a first for the gallery. Prominent works by each artist include Man Woman 1 (2013) by Kher,a sculpture of two skull-shaped heads facing each other; Gowda’s Chimera (2004),a work comprising a tardrum in black; and Thomas’s Tree frogs dream in the starlight (2013),an enchanting conglomeration of police brass band standing on wooden stand with amplifier and CFL light towering over it. “We like to think of us as one big family,” says Emmart,“People often ask how we pick these artists we represent. I don’t think they have anything in common and we don’t look at prominence. There’s just a certain madness in each one of them.” Emmart plans to host seven major exhibitions between both the galleries till November next year.

GALLERYSKE is located at 1st Floor,Shivam House,F-14 ,Middle Circle,Connaught Place,open between 12 pm to 8 pm. Tuesdays closed; Sundays by appointment. Contact post@galleryske.com