Picasso traded artwork with friend Henri Matisse. In Kolkata, tourists are often led to the quaint Azad Hind Dhaba, where a penniless MF Husain ordered food in between painting a huge mural that now occupies pride of place in this eatery on Ballygunge Circular Road. Similarly, British dentist Adrian Mullish had Damien Hirst as a patient. He collected his fees in kind and has built up a formidable collection of valuable works by Hirst. Art history is replete with amusing anecdotes of barter and people exchanging canvases for services. The tradeoff might be questionable and rare when times for artists were good but now it seems to be on a comeback — artwork can be acquired against medical and legal aid or even sponsoring a trip for the artist to an exotic locale.

Log on to the portal India Art News and a quick search leads to the Art Barter community where several works, including a Bose Krishnamachari canvas priced at approximately Rs 6 lakh, are available in exchange for another artwork. An untitled Sunil Das pen on paper of horses, that usually sells for over Rs 1 lakh, is also available here. “The aim is to help people attain artwork without spending money,” says Bangalore-based gallerist UV Umesh, founder of the community that has 48 members. He adds, “Those interested in striking a deal can post what they’re willing to trade on the network, or establish direct contact with another member. The concept should interest collectors who have numerous works of a single artist and people who are looking to build a collection,” explains Umesh.

... contd.