For Ravina Mekan, the pursuit of art often begins after bedtime. Once her two-year-old is asleep, she turns to books and research, tracing the histories of India's traditional crafts, following obscure references and looking for artisans whose work deserves wider recognition. This nightly exercise in discovery has culminated in Kala Reserve, a platform that seeks to place Indian crafts alongside paintings and sculptures in the world of collectible art. "I kept thinking about the demand for art around the world, and how few of India's artists ever reach it. These artists have spent their whole lives mastering something extraordinary, and most people do not know about them," says Mekan.
Having travelled to European art capitals, she has seen how carefully countries preserve their artistic heritage. India, she believes, has an equally rich legacy, but many of its traditions survive through just a handful of practitioners. "Art forms that are up to 1,100 years old are still being carried forward by hand. Some now survive with just one last family. That is both extraordinary and frightening," she says.
Based in Delhi since 2016, Mekan's understanding of textiles and trade was shaped by Ahmedabad, where she grew up. Trained in finance, she has long been drawn to objects built to last, from cars and textiles to collectibles. At Kala Reserve, this appreciation translates into a collection of one-of-a-kind works by master artisans and weavers. The search for talent takes her and her team to villages and towns across India. They work with Padma Shri recipients and national award-winning artisans, as well as lesser-known craftspeople whose skills have gone largely unrecognised. One discovery was Danke ka kaam, a 400-year-old metallic embroidery tradition from Udaipur. Her association with Padma Shri awardee Lalita Vakil, whom she calls Lalita Aunty, has been especially rewarding. "I take every work with the blessings of the artist who made it. It might sound old school, but that's what keeps me going," she says.
Each creation takes months, sometimes over a year, to complete. The Reserve currently holds five works, including a Chamba rumal by Lalita Vakil and a phulkari bagh by Padma Shri awardee Lajwanti Chabra, with plans to expand to 15 by January. Extensive research accompanies every work. The team documents its history, provenance, materials, techniques and hours of labour, preserving knowledge that is often passed down orally. "When a master stops working, that knowledge can go with them. So we document everything," Mekan explains.
The Reserve also departs from conventional gallery models. Its collection is not displayed online but presented through private, invitation-only viewings, many conducted virtually. Collectors learn about the artisan, the tradition and the painstaking process behind each creation. "A photograph online is seen in a second and possibly passed. These pieces take months, and sometimes over a year, to make. The story behind them deserves time and respect, not just a like, a comment or an add-to-cart," she says.
Each work is sold as a single piece, entered into a numbered ledger and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by its maker. Once acquired, it leaves the Reserve permanently and is never reproduced. Mekan's larger ambition is to bring Indian crafts into the global collectible art market. For that, she believes, perceptions must change. "As long as we call these works 'handicrafts', we will continue to perceive them as such. The artisans need to be named and recognised as artists, not as anonymous hands," she says.
Over the next five years, she hopes to take these creations to international audiences while helping build a more organised art market in India. "The skill is world-class. The access isn't. That's what we want to change."