Bhupen Khakhar at Grosvenor Gallery

Grosvenor Gallery recently hosted an exhibition of works by Bhupen Khakhar from a Private British Collection. This year marks the 10th death anniversary for the artist and we will be commemorating him by including drawings, watercolors and a few paintings made during the late 70s to the early 80s.

Bhupen Khakhar studied accounting and explored art in his spare time. After meeting the painter Gulammohammed Sheikh in 1958, he decided to attend art school in Baroda, where he joined a circle of contemporaries who were shaping a new Indian art, among them Mr. Sheikh, Nilima Sheikh, Nalina Malani, Vivan Sundaran and the critic Geeta Kapur.

In 1962 Khakhar was introduced to Pop Art. It, as well as the work of Henri Rousseau, David Hockney and early Italian Renaissance painting, had a lasting effect on him, as did earlier Indian modernism, Rajput miniature painting, popular religious art and his own observation of urban street life.

Several of the pictures of the early 1970s resemble shop signs for tailors, barbers, watch repairers, with vividly and crisply realised props. Implicit in paintings is a humorous acceptance and celebration of a culture previously disregarded, a hybrid, half-westernised culture of lower-middle class urban Indians, for whom Khakhar could act as spokesman.

Bhupen Khakhar’s work began to be included in big international exhibitions. He had his first exhibition in London in 1979 with Anthony Stokes and Hester von Royden and in 1983 he had a show with Kasmin at the Knoedler Gallery. In 1986 he had a show at the Pompidou Center in Paris. Bhupen was also the subject of a book by the British artist Timothy Hyman and a film by Judy Marle. Bhupen’s works continue to be present in the best collections both in India and Abroad.

The gallery also showed a film titled ’Messages from Bhupen Khakhar’ by Judy Marle during the exhibition which just concluded. It was also accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog.

A spotlight on the RPG Academy of Art & Music

Traversing the boundaries of business, RPG Enterprises has enhanced its reputation as a socially committed organization. The group generously contributes toward the welfare of various meaningful social causes. It is actively simultaneously involved in promotion of the sports and arts through RPG Academy of Art & Music.

The academy has been a great promoter of art and music ventures. It endorses and promotes thriving Indian art scene by sponsoring significant art exhibits, including ‘Amazing, 2008, featuring 27 young and established artists; ‘Sacred Space’ (2004); RPG Collection of Contemporary Bengal Art, The NGMA, Mumbai (2003); ‘Mela: A Carnival of Indian Art (2002); ‘Self-Portraits & Bombay Artists- Progressive Perspectives’ (2001); ‘The Flashback- Flashforward’ (1999); ‘The Bombay Show’ (1998); ‘50 Years of Freedom of Expression (1997); ‘The Mother Theresa Exhibition’ (1996); and an exhibition of modern paintings & sculptures in Mumbai in 1995, among others.

RPG Academy of Art & Music continues to support and encourage upcoming and talented artists. The idea is to bring real talent to the fore. Another prime example of their commitment to the cause is the annual RPG Art Camp, one among the most eagerly awaited art gatherings in Indian art calendar. The academy has been organizing the camps since 1991.

The event was launched more than two decades ago. Explaining the secret of the art camp’s success, art collector and entrepreneur Harsh Goenka had mentioned: "I think over the years, Vickram (Sethi) and I have worked out a definitive agenda to make it an eclectic mix where senior artists can guide the younger lot; we've also worked to lend more gender diversity to the camp, and over the years international artists of repute have been participating in this event."

Ever year established and emerging artists from across the country and abroad assemble at the RPG beach house at Mumbai’s magnificent Marve Beach for a week. The interactions and discussions between senior and younger artists lead to amazing creative expressions. The relaxed habitat only enhances the creative quality of their wonderful works.

How and why informal settings inspire artists?

Art camps in informal settings across India and abroad have become extremely popular within the artistic fraternity. Soaking in the exotic settings to maximize their creativity is a concept that finds favor with most artists since they are able to talk art, and exchange ideas without any inhibitions. No surprise, several Indian contemporary artists regularly feature in them.

The RPG Academy of Art & Music been holding an annual art camp at Marve Beach, Mumbai since 1991, where young and old artists from across the country come together to interact with each other. The 2012 art camp just concluded in the serene settings of Marve, a beach town in North Mumbai.

The eclectic event is hosted by group chairman and art aficionado, Harsh Goenka, and Vikram Sethi, the director of The Arts Trust. The two art aficionados have carefully nurtured the concept over time. It’s an annual meet which allows artists from different generations, genres, regions and styles to come together to share ideas and paint as well. Apart from senior artists, many young and upcoming ones are invited to give them a chance to interact with senior artists.

The gathering constitutes a perfect setting for painters to create some inspiring masterpieces. The participating artists live and paint together for seven days at the camp. They are specially selected and invited from across the country. As the practitioners of different generations, varying thought processes and styles come together, they are able to learn a few things from each other' albeit inadvertently.

In a way they seek inspiration from each other and engage in a gamut of art-related activities. Every year, they are asked to do self-portraits besides the works of their choice. The broad purpose is to provide the artists with a liberated environment, closeness to nature, and most importantly, the confluence of creative capabilities, which sure has been served over the years at the RPG art camp.

A gallery that vigorously promotes Indian art in Dubai

Dubai-based 1x1 Art Gallery, established almost seven years ago by art lover Malini Gulrajani, has managed to carve a niche for itself. Since its inception, the venue has established itself as the hub for hosting the best of contemporary Indian art, a segment still relatively under-explored in the Middle East.

Importantly, the gallery owner has brought several top names on Indian art scene to Dubai, including Riyas Komu, Bose Krishnamachari, Vivek Vilasini, Chittrovanu Mazumdar and NN Rimzon, among others. The venue hosts thematic and unconventional shows. For example, its group exhibition, entitled ‘Fragile’, demonstrated a marked offshoot of interest in its quest to expand its market for contemporary Indian art. The show witnessed a curious mingling of both Indian and Iranian artists at certain key stages in their respective careers.

The decision to spread and diversify its core activity was taken after a rather prolonged hiatus. The gallery, shut late in 2010, was reopened more than a year later. Malini Gulrajani has been quoted as saying: “I wish to push contemporary Indian art internationally, targeting Hong Kong and Singapore. We are looking at around three to four shows in locations outside Dubai in the near future.”

New and modern art from India is witnessing a significant resurgence of collector interest despite a prevailing sluggishness in the marketplace. And the determined art connoisseur-entrepreneur emphasizes that she is keen to show the works of more and more talented artist from across the subcontinent in the UAE. Her plan is to make the activity broad-based carry it on a wider scale, in a phased manner.

Meanwhile, the seventh edition of Art Dubai took place from March 20 until March 23, 2013, at Madinat Jumeirah. Besides the gallery halls, the fair's extensive program included commissioned projects and performances, artists' and curators' residencies, educational workshops, the unveiling of works by the winners of the annual The Abraaj Group Art Prize and the critically acclaimed Global Art Forum.

New forms of urban Indian pop culture

W+K Exp’s recent exhibition ‘Big Niche’ featured some of the best examples of this new movement. These exhibits, as an accompanying note mentioned, are a sign of life, an indicator that new ideas are not just taking root, but flourishing. More importantly, they are proof of a brand new Indian sensibility - far removed from the kitschy, Bollywood-flavored clichés that we are accustomed to.

It added: “While marketers and the media scan the horizon for new trends, an exciting new wave of Indian popular culture has surfaced, undetected by research. Music, art, design, food and brands that were considered offbeat, niche or 'too evolved' have suddenly become mainstream. These commercial and/or cultural ventures are transforming our drab, chaotic streets into experiences that are beautiful, meaningful, and most importantly, accessible.” Among the featured artists and groups were Bharat Sikka,Thukral and Tagra, Little Shilpa, Hanif Kureshi, Reshidev RK, Play Clan, IndiGo, Royal Enfield, Motherland, Manta Ray, Extension Khirkee, and Grandmother Design.

W+K Exp's aim is to make art accessible to everyone, whether you're a veteran collector looking for an original or someone who's simply looking for a print to put on your wall – or even if you're just there for the experience. We believe that art shouldn't have to be 'arty' and that culture is not something to be put on a pedestal and worshipped. So our endeavor is to create an experience for you that's shaped by this belief - stripped of jargon and overloaded price tags, to be enjoyed on your own terms.

Established in 2007, W+K Delhi's client list includes top brands' from India's fastest-growing market categories. Wieden+Kennedy, founded in Portland, Oregon, is one of the largest independently owned advertising agencies, with offices in Amsterdam, Delhi, London, New York, Portland, Shanghai and Tokyo. A creatively-led communications company, it has helped build some of the strongest brands, including Nike, ESPN, Starbucks, Target, Honda, Electronic Arts, P&G and Coca-Cola.

More tips to acquire good art

To make it meaningful, the collection must be more than the sum of its parts. It is equally important to make your process foolproof with appropriate paperwork. A crucial factor is provenance. Displaying, preserving and insuring the works of art properly is vital to retain their long-term value. This again demands expertise and special skills.

As more people are keen to view and buy art on the Web, auction houses are looking to leverage the power and reach of the medium. Pushing beyond the physical space, exclusive online galleries are now exposing contemporary Indian art to a wider base of buyers - slowly but surely. Many private equity investors and market players see it as a logical step in an increasingly global world of art. Utilizing the power and transparency of online auctions is a vital constituent of your art collecting process.

Your art investment, like most other traditional or unconventional avenues, should be preferably routed through experts. They possess the expertise and infrastructure to know the market conditions better. No good collection can be envisaged without an experienced dealer or gallerist, who will recommend you artists with quality works that should form part of your portfolio. They do the necessary research and pick up works by talented artists to invest in, according to your tastes and budget.

Last but not the least, enjoy the process of choosing, researching, buying and collecting art. Do so for sheer love of it! Look to acquire those works you would love holding on to and would continue to enjoy. Don’t just buy only from the point of view of how much it will appreciate in value. Treat your collection as a priceless treasure for generations to come. Thus you will be able to draw the maximum fulfillment and satisfaction out of it. This will also help you derive good returns over time.

Genuine love for art is the most vital ingredient in your conscious effort to become a successful and satisfied collector.

5 ideas to form a quality art portfolio

Here are 5 practical ideas to help you in your endeavor to build a quality art portfolio that exudes diversity, reflects current trends and is still timeless in terms of relevance:

1.    First and foremost, decide for yourself how much you can allocate to start. With prices having reached attractive levels and with the economy set to grow faster than the western economies, now is a perfect time to get into contemporary Indian art. You may strike a few good bargains.

2.    As every experienced collector and expert would reveal, the key is to start off with smaller canvases within one’s budget before gradually progressing to high value works by more established artists. It is not a wise idea to buy works just for the sake of a false sense of pride attached with bigger names.

3.    An avid art lover, keen to become a genuine collector, should learn to initiate and immerse oneself in the process of spotting and buying quality works. It is vital to visit galleries, watch shows, study various art forms, media, style etc, and to analyze works by artists of different eras done in specific contexts. This will enhance one’s ability to analyze compositions, their themes and subject matter.

4.    Market analysts feel that going for the middle work of a well-established artist or betting on a young artist both has own sets of intricacies. Accordingly, the risk element is determined. If you intend to buy art as an investment, it makes sense to diversify the portfolio with a good mix of established and emerging artists.

5.    As the market dynamics suggests, it’s the availability of fresh or rare pieces that stokes bidding and drives up prices. Conversely, when sellers tend to hold back and buyers turn less optimistic, often second-rate and mid-range works flood the market, attracting little interest. The result is a sharp drop-off. Tracing its peaks and troughs is like experiencing a real roller-coaster that you shall learn to ride.