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For young artists, getting a toehold into a white-cube gallery is next to impossible. But spaces—from hotel lobbies to living rooms—are opening up in our flint-hearted hubs of commerce. A look at makeshift galleries that give art its breathing space.

POPCORN AND THE EASEL
The most unlikely place to bump into paintings, artifacts and handcrafts is when you are buying your popcorn. Inox multiplex at Nariman Point, Mumbai, has, however, taken the leap to fuse the popular arts, cinema, with the fine arts. Their two-month-old ‘gallery’ near the snack counter in the lobby hosts pretty paintings, small drawing room sculptures and mannequins clothed in handloom kurtas.
Anirudh Curpad, the floor manager in charge, says business has not been too brisk.  “I think it’s the unconventional location that makes folks hesitant. We did sell two paintings,” says Curpad. The works are priced quite moderately, from Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,0000. “I feel upcoming artists don’t get gallery space that easily; big galleries want big artists. So I have engaged public spaces like theatres and hotels to promote younger talent,” says Meenu Dey of Three Blynd Mice, an art dealership. She has also tied up with PVR Juhu, The Taj President, Colaba and Shalimar Hotel Kemps corner. The spaces also make sure that the art works are changed every week and around 12 to 15 paintings are displayed at a time.
Entry: Free for all those who enter the mall
Display charges: None. If however the work of art gets sold, then the ‘gallery’ charges a small percent of the sales.

CAFE CANVAS
At two outlets of Café Turtle in Delhi, you can sip your mocha as you brush up on your Paresh Maity. The café has been holding art shows for young artists for past three years. Café owner, Priyanka Malhotra’s idea was to create space for artists to showcase their works without having to wait for a slot at the city’s popular galleries. “This was the best I could manage with the resources I had,” she says.
“The paintings stay on the walls for at least a week,” says Malhotra. Artist Niladri Paul, who participated in one of the group shows held at the café, says, “I was amazed at the response.” The café has showcased works of Paresh Maity, Niladri Paul and Chandrakanta Das to young talents like Aditi Singh and Amartya Sinha.
Entry: By invitation only
Display charges: The cost for a week’s display, including the launch, is anywhere between Rs 30,000 to Rs 70,000

THE METROPOLITAN HOTEL
Stopping by a Gucci outlet in a five-star hotel is nothing unusual, but how about passing by a wall in the hotel’s lobby and walking out with a piece of artwork? That’s exactly what you can do at The Metropolitan Hotel in New Delhi. The “Art Spice” in the hotel lobby showcases the works of upcoming artists. “Each slot of paintings stays for two to three weeks,” says Babita Gupta, the owner’s wife and the brain behind the art wall. Gupta’s idea was to bring art to a public realm and help the artists tap international buyers, who frequent the hotel. “I know how difficult it is for a young artist to find a buyer, ” she explains. The hotel has tied up with Enkita Arts for selection of works.
Entry: Open to all
Display charges: The hotel does not charge for the space. The charges are limited to a cut from the sales

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.

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