Passion of collecting art goes beyond the physical space

A recent survey by EBay, a leading online shopping site with 2.5 million registered users across India, underlines that it’s not just urban centers but also rural hubs of the country that are joining the online rush. Against this backdrop, gallery owners and dealers realize the need to create a niche space online. It’s an economically viable option. In fact, the recession could be considered as a blessing of sorts for the new-age breed of online art-entrepreneur.

Pushing beyond the physical space, exclusive online galleries are now exposing contemporary Indian art to a wider base of buyers globally. A perfect example of a marriage between art and technology was the recent VIP (Viewing in Private) Art Fair. An ambitious art dealer duo of James and Jane Cohan in New York teamed up with two visionary internet entrepreneurs to host it exclusively in the virtual realm. The event featured the best of works by several international artists from over 130 galleries.

There are skeptics though, who think that even 3D image technology cannot replace physical contact with art. Selling art is essentially a ‘high-touch’ business, depending on knowing whom you’re selling to, especially at the top end. In effect, the fundamental issue for online art sales is the comfort level of users with buying something they haven’t actually seen or touched. Pointing to the dilemma or dichotomy, curator-writer Sharmistha Ray states, “We want to hold onto the physicality of the art object in an age when many people are keen to buy high-value pieces (online) by merely looking at illustrative images on their computer screens.”

The internet is a new emerging platform, but it’s still not in a position to compete with major fairs or with the aura of an evening auction. Yet, viewing, buying and selling of art is going online - slowly but surely. Many private equity investors and market players see it as a logical step ahead in an increasingly global world of art. No surprise, some of the biggest players in the domains of art and technology are betting that collectors will spend millions on buying works online in the near future.