Trade Route

It’s great. The collection features some exceptional works – the cover is a rare (SH) Raza, there is a Ram Kumar figurative that is hard to come by, Jahangir Sabavala’s Flight into Egypt, Jamini Roys, three works from Bal Chhabra’s collection. The market is vibrant and we are expecting sales between Rs 25 to 35 crore. Hopefully Delhi is the first step and next year we have planned auctions in London and New York. The online platform is still our USP and we have video streams even in our live auctions. The room bid is an occasion to get people together; live bidding promotes healthy competition.

You started with Planet Saffron, an umbrella start-up dealing in visual arts (Saffron Art); holistic medicines like Panchkarma, meditation and massages (Saffron Soul); design, interior modules; and fashion (Saffron Style). How did the streamlining into art happen?

In those days the Indian market was at the mercy of dial-up connections that were time consuming. The venture was an access point for rare items, but it was difficult to build three brands at a time. So we stuck to our expertise. (Dinesh has done his Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from Stanford University and Minal studied art at University of California). We have now launched STORYLTD, where the focus is on medium and low end collectables, from art and jewellery to textiles and furniture.

How did you promote Saffronart initially? Art, back then, was hardly an organised trade in India.

We went door to door to convince people. There was no systematic way of pricing, transparency or publication of art. Our first exhibition was on our terrace. There were periods of frustration, we had no money or space, but we pushed ourselves, took loans.

Do you and Minal have similar tastes in art?

If you put us in a room full of art, we’ll probably end up choosing the same work. I am more into Modern art, and Minal appreciates contemporary art, so that too works well.

Christie’s organised its first live auction in India last year and is now going to make it an annual feature. There are also more domestic players in the auction circuit now, do you think there is space for so many?

More the players, stronger the market gets. Everyone is building the market, and that elevates the game. Christie’s is here to build collectors, which is a positive sign. They had a fantastic auction last year.

Which work would you have liked to take home from the coming auction?

Definitely the Raza’s La Terre, it’s estimated between Rs 5-7 crore.

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