BENGALURU: Over the last few months, ever since the Covid-19 pandemic took the globe by storm, thinking out of the box has helped many, particularly those in the art and culture space. But for a change, these artists had to do otherwise while participating in the virtual art show, ‘Inside the Box is Outside the Box’, organised by Deepa Subramanian, founder of Galerie De’Arts.
Featuring seven city-based artists – SG Vasudev, Anuradha Nalapat, Ravikumar Kashi, Rekha Rao, Shan Re, Shantamani Muddaiah and Sultana Hasan, the initiative is an effort to bring the artists and the artistic sensibilities together. The show, the recording of which is available online, included a 35-minute video presentation by the artists speaking from their studios about their experiences, and a debate on how art provides a unique perspective to the crisis with its ability to make people perceive things in a way science and data cannot; and how social media is experiencing a significant engagement in art and has become an effective tool for reaching out to a larger audience across the globe which a brick and mortar exhibition cannot achieve.
“This is to give a glimpse to art enthusiasts of not only the idea of the kind of art created, but also a sneak peek into their environment, studios, how they spend time, how they create art, and how they cope with this situation,” says Subramanian, who adds that although nothing can replace the energy of a physical art show, they have been forced to face the bleak reality of having to move it into a box.
“It is the responsibility of art to be able to build these contexts and to build a community as a whole,” says Subramanian. Even when she re-located to Los Angeles in 2017, she admits she wasn’t thinking of moving art shows online. “My plan was to have shows both in LA and in Bengaluru. It wasn’t an option at that time although there was a lot of online content related to art. Post Covid-19, it has become the only option,” she says.
She also opines that while some artists who are comfortable will survive, emerging and mid-rung artists are most likely to bear the brunt of this crisis. “Many artists feel the need for institutions and government to help unemployed artists (and others) who are struggling financially; as well as art institutions such as museums and galleries, especially in India where they are already suffering from lack of donors and funds, as opposed to institutions worldwide which are privately funded,” she says.