Some would argue that computer screens create a barrier to experiencing art emotionally. Others like Vaishnavi Murali, believes technology removes boundaries and helps democratise art.
The 31-year-old founder of Delhi-based Eikowa Art, a curated online art gallery, recently stepped up her game by launching a visualisation and rendering engine that allows people to envision how a piece will look in their personal space before it goes up.
This enables the viewer to establish a relationship with the artwork before it is mounted. “Galleries can be intimidating.
Also, people don’t think for a minute before splurging on fashion and technology but hesitate when it comes to art.
That’s because costs are high and you can never tell how the final thing will look. Viewing it on a screen in your intimate space at your own sweet time removes that shilly-shallying,” she says.
The Eikowa team has instituted a convenient method applicable to only paintings in this section. Once you’ve created an account, you choose an artwork you like, click on ‘view in my home’ in the product page, add an image of your space, feed the wall height (usually 10-12ft), and that’s it.
You can try any number of paintings by adding them to the wishlist. “The tool helps you narrow down your choices.
A 4x4 ft painting will not appear as a 2x2ft. If the painting is too big for space, you can tell, as the painting will overlap with the sofa or the furniture around,” says Murali, who was chosen as a Forbes 30 under 30 alumna in 2017 for Eikowa.
The other hallmark of this visualisation feature is its seamless integration with your website that is accessible on laptops or smartphones.
She indicates that this was a conscious decision because Augmented Reality apps otherwise require a marker and are not convenient to use.
Art has always been a part of her life but Murali started collecting when she was 24. “There is a huge, ever-growing list of artists that I want to secure.
This list encompasses works by masters and contemporary artists working in new and experimental mediums,” she says.
But for now, it’s all about building an art alliance in the web world.