There is something about Bangalore and women running art galleries. Over the last two decades, an increasing number of young women have turned gallerists. And they know the trade. They know their clients and client-budgets; they know the art of catering to the needs of connoisseurs and novices, the nouveau riche, the IT clients, the newly married upwardly mobile couples, builders and architects.
Gitanjali Maini opened her Gallery G10 years ago. “I knew I wanted to start my own enterprise and have many friends in the art world. I enjoyed looking at works of art and collecting them.” Gita has a panel of five experts who guide her on what works to showcase, to evaluate works of art and which artists to promote. She has started Artist Initiative Programme or AIP in which affordable art is encouraged and showcased in her galleries.
Gita connects with clients through a website but very rarely are works of art sold online. She says, “Collectors may like something they see on the website and then they contact me for something similar. I have clients in all parts of the globe and business is generated due to word of mouth, mostly.”
A former finance consultant in New York City, Namu Kini switched lines a few years ago and has not looked back since. “The business of selling art is all about people! It is about managing relationships, with the clients and the artists. And as I am a people person, I realised that I have the skills to turn my passion for art into a career. It is true that most art galleries in India are run by women. Perhaps, it is because we have mastered the art of multitasking! Also once you’ve gained the trust of your clients, they are comfortable making art investments of higher values. It’s wonderful to know that women in India are flourishing in this field, I believe there is room for all of us in the art market. Those of us who’ve survived the slump are here to stay!”
Deepa Subramanian is a first generation entrepreneur in pharmaceutical chemicals. She says, “Professionally I wandered afar only to come back to my passion — art. I now run two parallel businesses, one is my bread and butter and the other is my passion.”
She says she is “naturally inclined to art and design.” She is trained in the techniques of oil under Mr Eashwar in Chennai and is a self-taught artist in charcoal, line drawings and portraits.
How does she choose works of art? “Well, largely, it’s an emotional connect with both the art and the artist. Understanding the artist is very important and I spend a lot of time interacting with artists.Of course over the years one gains knowledge of what is good art and whether the artists have a potential to sell. I do sell art works online but I am conventional in my approach towards sales and do believe in the touch-feel factor which is an integral part of art. I feel that an impersonal online purchase cannot achieve that.” Deepa adds, “The two critical factors that drive an art purchase are the ability to buy and the willingness to buy. Although the southern market has the ability, the willingness to buy is rather small. Delhi and Mumbai are the art capitals. In South, Chennai has a bigger potential than Bangalore.”
While she does keep a gallery manager, she is hands-on over as many tasks as possible. “I curate shows, design the catalogues, organise artist and buyer interactions, do a bit of critical writing, promotional activities like art talks, film shows, workshops, artist camps. Running a gallery is my passion and I enjoy it immensely and there’s really no fun in delegating the job to others.”
She adds, “I don’t see much interaction amongst gallerists in Bangalore. My gallery is open to everyone and I do invite other gallerists too. I do share a great rapport with senior gallerists like Sara Arakkal. Being a woman in this business has an advantage. We are naturally sensitive to the finer things in life.”