ART BREAK

The lacklustre art scene is further magnified by the sluggish post-recession art investments,and galleries have little incentive for putting up a new show. If at all the galleries are exhibiting,then they prefer to host a group show of upcoming artists,or they choose to display their own collections. Siddharth Grover,owner of Sanstache Art Gallery,Worli,agrees. He says,“Since no big artists are exhibiting,galleries mostly prefer group shows. A solo show of a young artist is not profitable in any case. Since the art market is so low,the galleries don’t want to take a risk and generally display their own collections.”

That’s why,at Tao Art Gallery,Worli,one would find Paresh Maity’s work from last year hanging on the walls,along with the gallery’s other collections. The gallery is now being spruced up to start it’s art season with Owais Husain’s solo show titled ‘3 Worlds’ from August 6.

However,for the city galleries like Sanstache,Project 88 and Chemould Prescott Road,the dull art period usually means giving an opportunity to upcoming artists. Sanstache and Chemould are currently running group shows of young artists. However,Project 88 has made the exception this year to focus on repair works. “Generally,during this period of the year,we hold lots of student shows. But this year,we had a lot of stock work to do,” says Sree Goswami,director of Project 88. But she strongly advocates that this lean period should be utilised in showing works of young or lesser-known artists as big artists tend to dominate the scene rest of the year.

The business might be low during the rains,but Indian galleries don’t down the shutters unlike their western counterparts. “Earlier,galleries used to remain shut. But that doesn’t happen these days since,for the last couple of years,foreign tourists have been visiting galleries during the rains,” says Tara Lal,co-owner of Chatterjee and Lal gallery,Colaba. However,Lal is not hosting any shows at present. “Our shows will open in September. We are utilising the break by carrying out maintenance works and renovation of the space,” shares Lal.

Renovation works are also on full swing at the Jehangir Art Gallery and Pundole Art Gallery. “We at Pundole are in a spring-cleaning mode. We are in the midst of packing and unpacking our exports and purchases,” says its owner. The gallery,which last exhibited works of mixed artists from July 7-10,has activities lined up for August. The Bodhi Art Gallery will also begin it’s art season in August.

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