All Geared Up

BMW,for its part has been associated with art for a decade. The trend is in keeping with BMW art car,wherein a prominent artist is given a car to paint. In 2007,two models were brought to the Jehangir art gallery,one of the models on display was painted by Andy Warhol. “It’s a part of initiating a dialogue with the customer and are is one platform. That way,one also strengthens the relationship with the customer,” says Abhay Dange,General manager,Press and Corporate Affairs,BMW.

A huge car showroom is a blessing in space-starved NCR. Also,uber automobiles lend a very different vibe to the exhibition area,making it modish,perhaps macho and maybe even less highbrow. It is a win-win situation. By hosting an art exhibition,auto companies get an opportunity to bring a “suitable” crowd and some excitement into the otherwise deserted showrooms and meet the wealthy art collectors. Galleries,meanwhile,are excited to share the prized guest list of the car companies.

In December,art collector Niten Mehta will put up works from his private collection for sale at DD Motors at Peeragarhi in West Delhi,which otherwise sells Maruti Suzuki cars. It helps that his partner Rajiv Gambhir owns the showroom,but Mehta says that is not the only advantage. “The 5,200 sq ft plush showroom will be ideal for showcasing the works,including Anuj Poddar’s sculptures,” he says. Mehta would miss out on the South Delhi arterati,but then he would be inviting to the VIP lounge of the showroom guests such as Keshav Suri of The Lalit,Sanjay Kapoor of Genesis Colors (the company behind the label Satya Paul) and former cricketer Atul Wassan.

The trend of gallerists tying up with automobile companies actually began with Aarti Singh of Polka Art Gallery in March last year. Her remarkable group show at the Bentley showroom at the Ashok Hotel went down well with industrialists like Gautam Singhania who was seen appreciating the lushly detailed,anarchist triptych of Mumbai-based artist Brinda Miller. The showroom vibrated with Husain canvases,splashed with his much feted horses in yellow overtones,alongside a swish Continental Flying Spur of Bentley,pegged at Rs 2 crore. Singh had put in considerable thought into curating the show. “The works spanned 30 years and were carefully picked to match the image of the brand as well. We had converted the 3,000 sq ft showroom to look like a gallery. To cover up the large windows,artificial walls were constructed to hang the works — none of the works was put on easels. And the show worked out very well: we got a good Bentley clientele who bought the works,” gushes Singh. Agrees Bentley’s Managing Director Satya Prakash Bagla: “Association with the arts will only expand our client base here.” Singh is planning a show with Bentley early next year.