ART HOUSE
This is a gallery in a living room. Often, in the background of abstracts and sketches are the fussy details of homely life —like the bark of Asha Narang Spaak’s frisky dog or the smells of the kitchen. Inspired by the great literary salons of 19th century where brilliant Parisian women steered the wittiest discussions on literature and philosophy, Spaak and her friend Asha Kishore, both art enthusiasts, opened the doors of their living room to artists. The Ashas, the informal gallery space on the first floor of Spaak’s bungalow in New Delhi’s West Nizammudin, has been showing works of various artists for six years now.
The living room remains much the same on days when shows are held. “We do not remove even a single piece of furniture. At times, if there is no hanging space, I simply stack the works,” says Spaak, also a photographer and a documentary filmmaker. Instead of formal launches, the guests are introduced to the artist and his works during informal evenings over wine and home-cooked snacks. “The likes of Bikash Poddar, Poonam Gupta, Padmini Mongia, Siddharth and Anjolie Ela Menon have used the space. People even leave their works for a resale,” adds Spaak.
Entry: Invitation only; if are not on the guest list, make an appointment
Display charges: An artist pays a cut if he sells; no exhibition cost.

SIDEWALK
The pavement outside Mumbai’s Jehangir Art Gallery is incomplete without the sight of men with umbrellas, easels and paintings. Painter Kamalaksha M Shenoy , the force behind the pavement gallery or Art Plaza as it’s monikered, believes that an alternative space for art is necessary since not every upcoming artist can afford Rs 30,000 a day to rent Kitab Mahal. “I wanted to provide an space that any young painter can access,” says Shenoy. Besides the landscapes and portraits that one often sees at the Art Plaza, there is the occasional radical show that visits the footpath, like the exhibition organised by the Lazy Rebels— a group of young artists from the J J School of Art. Himnashu S, Meenam Apang and Bobby of the Rebels. It was their first pavement show that got them noticed. Himanshu S advocates the importance of a space like the pavement, “In a way it’s a de-glamorization of art,” says Himanshu.
Entry: Free for all who walk the pavements at Kala Ghoda
Display charges: The Art Plaza charges Rs 3,000 for a weeklong display.