Art Alert: Watch out for new kids on block

The Ahmedabad art scene appears to be thriving with several young artists making an impact

Art alert: Watch out for new kids on block

Coming up fast
Some of the young artists are now doing extremely well for
themselves, finding their way into the collections of buyers
world over.

Much has been written about the doyens of the Ahmedabad
art scene; and rightly so, given that they are the temperate forebears
who, through their endurance and persistence, paved the way for the
youth to regard art as a viable profession.

Some of the young artists are now doing extremely well for themselves,
finding their way into the collections of buyers world over.Harshil Patel,
Shefali Nayan, Nipa Modi, Bansi Khatri and Manish Modi are the five
stand-out ones among the upcoming artists, believe the gallerists
in Ahmedabad.

“Shefali is a graduate from MSU.
Lemongrasshopper exhibited her a couple of years ago, and she sells
really well. What is unique about her is the ‘naturalness’ of her work –
there is no artifice in it. She retails anywhere between Rs 20,000 and a lakh,
which is quite reasonable. Collectors from the US and Switzerland as well
as the local buyers have all shown interest in her work,” says Khanjan Dalal,
co-partner, Lemongrasshopper Art Gallery.

“Another artist of promise is Manish Modi (32), who
seems to have the patience of a tortoise – the beauty of his art lies in his
meticulous attention to detail and the intricacy of his work. He has even
won the Lalit Kala national award a couple of years ago. Both these
artists are upcoming and, therefore, affordable at the moment, but the worth
of their work is sure to appreciate manifold as they reach their zenith
over the next few years,” he adds.

Of the current lot of artists, Chaitya Shah, director, Marvel Art Gallery,
picks Harshil Patel (26), for greatness.

“Harshil is a class apart. His trajectory, after he turned professional a few
years ago, is startling for someone so young. What is wonderful about him is his
penchant for experimentation – he works on an idea or style for months on end,
and having exploited all it can offer, moves on. He doesn’t stick with a motif or style
merely because it sells well. His work has appreciated by around 50% in the last three
years. His smaller canvases go for anywhere above Rs 20,000 and the larger pieces
can go into lakhs,” he says.

“Nipa Modi and Bansi Khatri are also talents to watch out for. Nipa’s style is figurative
and pleasing to the young and old alike, while Khatri’s motifs and themes revolve around
‘tantra’ and ‘shakti’. Several corporate houses and offices have picked him up because
they feel his work generates ‘positive vibrations’.

A small 2×2 canvas by these artists might start from around Rs 15-20,000. Even their
work is seeing appreciation in present times,” he adds.