Piyasree Dasgupta profiles the two sisters who have set the art world in Kolkata on fire

Meghna and rashi agarwala
The deep, and often abstract confluence of colours, lines and emotions that is art, Meghna and Rashi Agarwala had chalk and cheese to make a mouse out of them. But the sisters, then in their early 20s, had their minds set on it. And Gallery Kolkata happened in 2004. Meghna (29), who is the curator and the creative head of the gallery, says, “I realised that great works of art would not survive and get their due unless the young start taking interest in them. And that’s how the concept of affordable art fell in place.”

Since its inception, Gallery Kolkata has showcased works by greats like Paritosh Sen and Jogen Choudhury, and several young, talented and relatively unknown artists. The gallery, which shifted to its present Shakespeare Sarani address in 2007, sprawls over 5,000 square feet and includes an adda lounge. “We wanted a healthy interaction between art curators, artists, poets, writers, theatre and film personalities to make art seem affordable and approachable,” says Rashi (27), the marketing head.

The sisters together commission and procure paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures and murals and they also collect art for collection and investment purposes. “We also do restoration of rare artworks, valuation, documentation and cataloguing, activities very important to the preservation of art,” says Meghna.

Initially, the sisters started off with their family business OTC International, which deals in mining, manufacturing and export of minerals.

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