The Art of Showcasing Art

The backstage story of putting up an art exhibition shows that making of an artwork is just the beginning

The backstage story of putting up an art exhibition shows that making of an artwork is just the beginning

There is always a backstage. However,unlike in fashion and theatre,the backstage in art is not a physical space. It is,instead,a back story before an exhibition is thrown open to public.The making of an artwork is just the beginning. And its journey from the artists studio to the gallery is the first in a series of steps. Now,it has to compete with other works to find prime space in the gallery. Working on the display of an artwork are not just the artist and the gallerist,but a team including the carpenter who suspends it and the electrician who fixes the spotlight.

A lot of thinking goes into deciding the placement of works, said artist Prayas Abhinav,when we caught up with him during the run-up to his show Glitch Frame Lollipop at Latitude 28. The gallery still smelled of fresh paint. The works of the three participants Amitabh Kumar,Siddhartha Kararwal and Abhinav were in the process of arriving. Some were already there wrapped in plastic,and in different corners of the hall,we found each of the artists unpacking his own works. Pitched as a collaborative show,it seemed to help that the artists were friends and were in touch while the works were being ideated.

When the select invitees trouped in for the shows opening on August 14,they might have stepped onto Kumars mats sketched with drawings of human body parts placed at the door,but till a couple of days before the show,these were placed inside,in the video room. The video room now has Abhinavs interactive video that works as text editor,tracing the rhythm of people typing their thoughts. When we met Abhinav,the work was packed in his laptop,and thats all he carried from Bengaluru. The projector and bluetooth keyboards were to be rented in Delhi. It does not make sense to carry it all the way, he said.

The improvisations keep happening till the last minute. Kararwal might have thought that his installation,The Tomato Masher,would look better if placed in a corner,but Kumar argued with him to push it to the centre. Suspend it in the centre of the room and set it free, he had suggested. However,time was running out. The electrician and carpenter will be here in a day, Abhinav added.

But the to-do list had a lot more to be taken care of. Invites needed to be sent; friends called,catalogues printed and distributed,and someone should ensure that the caterer serves the best on the D-day.