From the ‘Concerns’ Desk ... May 2007

Treat the artists with care

Recently an artist friend of mine came to me and he was looking very depressed. He is not a successful artist in terms of art market. He is a person, like many of my artist friends, with a lot of self esteem and sensitivity.

I asked him why he looked so depressed. He told me that one gallerist cum curator in Delhi asked him to get out of her office as he went to show her some of his works. This visit was after a telephonic appointment. She was visibly irritated on him for some reason. Eventually, to add insult to injury she offered Rs.200/- (Two Hundred Rupees Only) per work with an approximate size of 12” x 14”.

What do we say? We are going through the best period of Indian Contemporary Art.

During 1990’s I have seen artists sitting at the feet of gallery managers and unrolling their works one by one and receiving a disinterested command, ‘Next’. But that was a time when young artists were nowhere in the market. Now the time has changed.

I personally feel a lot for the insulted artist/s because I have seen several shows in Delhi without the gallery lights on. Reason, I don’t look like a regular art lover. Why should the electricity be wasted for such a person? I have been denied of catalogues several times as I don’t look like a normal art critic/lover. I have been denied of refreshments in several openings as I don’t wear ‘respectable clothes’.

Artists are a precious lot now. Today’s struggler is tomorrow’s money spinner. Our recent art history has proved it beyond doubt.  Treat them with care and love. If you are not interested in his works, just send him out with polite words (and if it is summer don’t forget to offer a glass of water. Delhi buses are not air conditioned yet). Please do not offer Rs.200/- per work. It is a crime.

In this edition, we concentrate on the notions of ‘University’ and ‘Museum’. In a series of essays, our established writers have tried to deal with various aspects of these notions. Hope you will enjoy reading them and debating them further.

Yours,

JohnyML