A global art view

Others feel the international galleries are curious about India since over the last few years they’ve been exposed to artists and artwork from here. “India has had a large presence at art fairs in France,London,Dubai and London,which has kindled the interest of many foreign galleries,artists and collectors; however,the Indian market is yet unexplored by galleries and collectors from Asia and Europe,” observes Kanchi Mehta,an independent curator.

The stall at the Arario Gallery,a China-based gallery that has branches in New York and Korea displays a mix of Indian and Korean art with artists like Dong Wook Lee displayed alongside Jitish Kallat and L N Talur. Assistant curator Hwajung Choi says that the mix works perfectly because art techniques are universal.

“To really understand the difference between Indian and Korean art,one has to have knowledge of that culture. Otherwise the techniques employed by Indian artists are quite international,” says Choi referring to Jitish Kallat’s 90×204 canvas titled Eclips. Similarly,Rob Dean of the eponymous gallery based in the UK says,“Besides big names like Subodh Gupta we are keen to promote lesser known artists like Princess Pea.”

While Kallat’s canvas depicting Mumbai’s street children with a tangle of the metropolis’s crowded streets in their hair bears a touch of India,Talur’s installation could belong to any nation since the dark greasy machine churning out lumps of black waste bears no direct reference to India. Interestingly Lee’s work strongly quotes Korea as his tiny plastic figures are decidedly Asian. While the etchings and drawings by Picasso hosted by German art gallery Beck & Eggling could have got a better display,the Anish Kapoor sculptures displayed by Lisson Gallery take pride of place at the Summit.

One can take in the references to specific cultures or choose to look at the art as a seamless continuum of globalization,or either way as Christian Hop of Galerie Christian Hosp,says,“We are committed to bringing about a dialogue between Asia and the West,through a dedicated selection and display of artists from Europe and Asia.” The art summit is just the tip of the iceberg.

International Galleries at the Summit
* Rob Dean Art Ltd,Uk
* Galerie Christian Hosp Germany
* Aanant & Zoo Germany
* Ivonna Veiherete Art Gallery,Latvia
* Art Quest,London
* Aicon Gallery USA
* Shonandai MT Gallery Japan
* HBgalerie Rotterdam
* 1X1 Dubai,UAE
* Lisson Gallery,London UK
* Thomas Erben Gallery