Patience pays

The Nature Morte gallery of New York has been functioning in Delhi for quitesome time, but its latest avatar in Hauz Khas Village at Mulk ...

The Nature Morte gallery of New York has been functioning in Delhi for quitesome time, but its latest avatar in Hauz Khas Village at Mulk Raj Anand8217;scultural centre, Lokayata, is perhaps the best one of the whole series.

Indeed, its first two exhibitions of Natraj Sharma, one of our most adeptartists who balances a sensitivity to colour and texture with industrialimagery, and now a group show of a number of artists gives one theimpression that the gallery is not only here to stay but has begun toattract a number of our avant-garde artists including Vivan Sundaram.

The present exhibition features the work of Bhupen Khakhar, Bharati Kher,Ravinder Reddy, Nicola Durvasula, Pablo Bartholomew, Srinidhi Sheshadri,David Kalal, Suzanne Joelson and Subodh Gupta.

The works vary from a very tasteful treatment of homosexuality by Khakhar toan almost op8217; set of abstracts by Kher, very precise minimalist works byNicola Durvasula and excellent studies of Delhi8217;s road cattle by SubodhGupta. The exhibition, on the whole, reflects a very wide range ofexpressions, from realistic representation to op8217;, pop8217;, surrealist, folkand pure abstract.

The exhibition concentrates on a range rather than thematic consonance,which seems to be more in keeping with the market principle than withconcepts. But then the market principle has the upper hand today and it willreflect also in the way we purvey our ideas, too.

There is no doubt ideas sell or do not; advertising is all about that. Artis only a step away. If advertising sells products or is meant to, galleryart has to sell ideas to survive. So what the best galleries and artists cando is to ensure they make bright ideas and perceptions saleable.

This is not as easy a job as many seem to think because there are a lot ofbuyers buying bad art and that affects the market of good art adversely.As a result galleries exhibiting good art have to rely on their stayingpower, have to concentrate on giving really good artists more exposure andhave to wait for tastes to improve. The Nature Morte gallery seems to haveimbibed these lessons well.

8212; Suneet Chopra