The dynamic Indian art market is a constantly evolving landscape, which has witnessed many changing trends in art acquisition over the years. One such emerging one is the surging interest in sculptures created by master artists. Sculptors are constantly exploring the vast range of their artistry through experimentation with diverse mediums. This has led to expanding of their visual language beyond the canvas, translating into three-dimensional renditions of their unique oeuvre, crafted in bronze, fibreglass and mixed media among others.
While sculptors who have primarily practised in the three-dimensional format—for instance, Anish Kapoor, Ravinder Reddy, Subodh Gupta and Paresh Maity—continue to enjoy popularity among collectors, there is a heightened interest in works of master artists such as Krishen Khanna, A Ramachandran and Sakti Burman. Predominantly painters, these artists have expanded their repertoire by working with a range of media like sculptures, carpets and relief murals.
This burgeoning interest in sculptural works by masters can be attributed to many reasons which include, but are not limited to, the availability, price points and their appeal to young collectors. Moreover, in recent years, the acknowledgement by esteemed museums acquiring sculptural works and immense documentation has bolstered the intrinsic value of such art, thus expanding its demand among collectors spanning various age groups.
The rarity of these artworks stemming from being unique or limited edition also contributes to their growing demand, but a key factor is the proficiency of master artists in translating their significant motifs in sculpture—be it Khanna’s exuberant bandwallahs or Burman’s mythological figures. In addition, the price points of these installations are often more reasonable in comparison to canvases, which provides an enticing opportunity, especially for keen collectors, in acquiring works by masters.
These sculptures are lucrative acquisitions as market trends have demonstrated. For instance, if a young collector is harbouring an interest in acquiring some work by a master artist and is restricted by budgetary concerns or less availability of canvas works in the market, they can opt for a sculptural work ,which is equally well documented and exhibits versatility of the artists.
Collectors are increasingly cultivating a culture focused on buying works by modernists and masters, which was not so evident a few years ago. The Indian market is experiencing a significant shift towards sculptural works by master artists, driven by a confluence of factors that make these works culturally rewarding.
Sunaina Anand
Founder and Director, Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
sunaina@artalivegallery.com