Dangling The Art Carrot

In order to sell,art needs to be functional and interactive and that’s the strategy that Malaka Spice has used. The restaurant,since its inception,has strived to promote art. On one hand,its gallery displays paintings by upcoming and reputed artists and on the other hand,there are in-house caricature/portrait artists. Preeti Singh,head,art and merchandise,Malaka Spice,explains,”Art on canvas is for serious art lovers and we have our gallery that caters to them. But to generate interest amongst others,we have live art demos clubbed with live music.” The recent workshops on paper art and use of recycled products to create works of art have been a hit with adults and kids alike.

“Workshops are important to make people more aware of what goes into creating a masterpiece,” says Sanjeev Pawar,owner,Art2Day Gallery (Tilak Road and Camp). The gallery has,in the last five years,increased the number of workshops in visual,tribal and folk art. “A few years ago,no one was ready to buy art mainly because of the cost. It is but natural for people to stand before a painting and compare the cost of materials to the final price. Thus we hold workshops to educate people about why a creation is unique and worth a higher price,” he adds.

“Workshops help package art better. Plus,we have the Malaka Bazaar where we sell handicrafts from cottage industries and NGOs,” says Singh. On Sunday,this art hub inagurated an exhibition of paintings by Swach. Even Ark Art Gallery held a photography exhibition in association with Hope For The Children’s Foundation in the beginning of this year.

Cardoz and Arvind Kadam,CEO,Ark Art Gallery,describe these events as a part of the marketing strategy for art. A few months ago,this gallery had actresses Tanuja,Tanisha and Kajol paying it a visit. “Such visits help promote art and the gallery,” Kadam says.

Pune is known to be a cultural hub but Pawar laments the fact that there is a stronger platform for dance and music than visual art. “In the old days,kings and temples would patronise art and artists. Today,we need people of a certain status to support art. When they say an exhibition is a must visit,it generates a better response,” Pawar says.

Renovations and gallery makeovers lend art with the infrastructural support it needs. “Art galleries function on commercial and passionate levels. Whenever we have the financial liberty,we do make changes to the gallery but we focus more on activities,” Pawar says.

Six months ago,Bliss Art Gallery at Koregaon Park too wooed people through its pottery and charcoal workshops. But curator Arti Das Choudhury says,”For the serious art lovers,it’s best not to club other activities like saree sales and workshops with art exhibitions. They divert attention from art and decrease the footfall of serious art buyers. “