DIGITAL COPY ON MAGZTERThe Gallerist
seRial eNTRePReNeUR VINCeNT aDaIKalRaj, foUNDeR aND cMD of aRT
HoUZ GalleRY aND PUBlisHeR of aRTs illUsTRaTeD, looks aT His Role
as a GalleRisT aND How a sPace like iNDia aRT faiR UsHeRs iN cHaNGe
wiTHiN DiffeReNT aRT coMMUNiTies acRoss THe coUNTRYT
en years back, through an
artist friend, I started to
buy art for my resort in
Coimbatore –
Jenny’s Residencies – and for
Black Thunder, the water-based
amusement park in Mettupalayam.
It was an indulgence that seemed
almost prophetic of what was to
come. I am sure there are many
reasons why one decides to start
a gallery, each one a personal
validation of how we connect
with this ever-changing world of
contemporary art. But when I
began Art Houz in Chennai, I only
knew this for sure – that the space
I create will reflect the aesthetics
of the art I would promote and the
art I display would in turn reflect
the aesthetics of the space. The
large open spaces within, naturallight filtering in with unabashed
abandon through the sheer glass
walls, and the quiet locale all bring
an almost hushed reverence to the
art it holds. Art, in any case, at least
for me, is about bringing that sense
of pleasant calm into our lives. And
it was something I wanted to reflect
not just in the artwork we chose
to display but in the very act of
‘display’ itself.
But owning a gallery, also, inevitably
means getting involved in the
rigmarole of running it – it means
curating shows, keeping the calendar
buzzing with exciting exhibitions,
making sure we pick the right talent,
and of course, making that big sale.
Which is where a platform like
India Art Fair comes in. Over the
years, I have attended the fair as an
encouraging friend, an interested
viewer, an avid collector and now,
in the last three years since we
opened our gallery in Chennai,
Bengaluru and Coimbatore, I look
forward to the fair as a gallerist. It
remains Asia’s biggest platform for
contemporary art and a chance for
gallerists and exhibitors and artists
to come together under one roof,
giving us a rare opportunity of
interacting with a host of creative
talent all around us.
It is also where I began to notice the
difference between how this realmof contemporary art functions
in Delhi as against Chennai. The
discrepancies were quite glaring.
For one, art itself was perceived
differently – people are more
forthcoming in accepting art as a
worthy investment, with several
collectors spending not just their
money, but time and research in
making the right choice. Second,
art was packaged and marketed
with a lot more gravity – the
positioning was well-rounded
and exposure to multiple forums,
both national and international,
was well-planned. And, finally,
it was in the kind of artists
who were being promoted –
representations from the south
were quite minimal. This, of
course, is expected as a gallery’s
geographical location is quite
pivotal to how it changes the
market within the region. And
it is this that probably drives my
passion for the gallery – to be
able to continuously learn and
imbibe from some of the best in
the business and create just such
an environment for artists in the
south. A long journey ahead, but
what better place to start than
one’s own roots?Photograph by Arul Vincent(^86) / ARTs ILLusTRATeD / feb 2016 - mAR 2016 /IAF - Delhi Connecting Art