More than art, international galleries eye business at India Art Fair

The ninth edition of the India Art Fair may have been a paradise for art lovers who witnessed some excellent pieces of work, ranging from contemporary to historic art pieces and paintings, but for international participants, it was more of a platform for expanding business and creating a base in South Asian countries.

Like RedSea Gallery from Singapore whose representatives were here for the second time because last year they "managed to build a lot of contacts".

"Now we know many people in India now who are keen towards art through the fair. People here are very much into art and we have even already sold some from our collection," Erin Taylor, Manager at RedSea Gallery told IANS.

The booth from Singapore gained much attention owing to its colourful display of Chinese paper work done by artist Zhuang Hon Yi. From contemporary to historic, the booth displayed their variety keeping in mind the preference of Indian people.

"We are trying to enter the Indian market, we want people over here admire the art we have. We are also looking for gallery owners and curators to purchase some of our art," Taylor added.

Similar thought was conveyed by Lukas Feichtner who owns a art gallery back in Vienna.

Feichtner, who is here for the first time, travelled came with a motif to expand his business in Asian countries, hoping to rope in some Indian artists and their collection for his gallery.

"India has got a potential market for art and I am surprised to see so many people coming here. I am getting to know a lot of artists and their work. I have met many art collectors, curators, gallery owners who have expressed their desire to expand their business with us," he said.

Diego Alonso, Director of Madrid-based gallery Mondo Galeria finds Indian art is gradually making its place in international market and the fair gave him a chance to understand the creativity of Indian artists in a better way.

"Art has got no boundary, no language. At this fair, I got to see some brilliant art work by M.F Hussain and know about him. The Asian market has got immense talent and the South Asian market is growing and gradually gaining attention in European countries owing to its rich collection of art," said Alonso, who has collaborated with a Mumbai art gallery.

For Colomb- based Theertha International Artists Collective, this art fair is a big platform to make business as people hardly come to Sri Lanka for purchasing art or interacting with any artists.

"Nobody would have come had this kind of event being organised in our country. This fair is giving us the opportunity to expose and highlight our art and sell, not just to the Asian countries but to European and American nations as well," said the Collective's Lalith Manage.

But simultaneously, the international gallery representatives pitched their disappointment on a common note - lesser number of participants from other nations.

"If they are keen on taking Indian art to abroad and seeking more international investment then there should be more galleries from abroad, they should invite more artists," lamented Baudoin Lebon, owner of a Paris gallery.

The three day long India Art Fair, which is being organised at the NSIC ground in the national capital ended on Sunday.

(Somrita Ghosh can be contacted at somrita.g@ians.in)

--IANS

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