Art Biz goes online

Art biz goes online

Forty galleries from across India are participating in India’s first online art fair,
India Art Collective

Considered to be India’s first online art fair, the India Art Collective, has
over 40 galleries from across India participating in it. Two of these are
from Ahmedabad namely, Archer Art Gallery and Marvel Art Gallery.

Speaking to people in charge of these galleries, DNA finds out that the online
medium for art business is definitely here to stay and is a growing addon option.

“It is definitely interesting to be part of India’s first ever online fair, India
Art Collective, the best aspect being the division of segments in this fair under
‘value series’ (less than Rs5 lakh), ‘collective series’ (between Rs5 -Rs20 lakh)
and ‘signature series’ (above Rs20 lakh). This will give the buyer clarity in terms
of prices of works,” MD, Archer Art Gallery, Manan Relia informed.

Relia also said, “Online medium of business is another add-on to the business
of art and in India it is a niche market which is slowly picking up. For instance,
more experienced buyers would first have a look at the work online and then
visit the gallery to see it.” Similar views were shared by MD, Marvel Art Gallery,
Chaitya Shah who said, “An online medium of doing art business has never
been tried in India and hence it is all the more worth exploring for the Indian
market or art collectors and/or buyers. The process of selecting works is faster,
we can reach maximum people even those in remote areas and it is also commercially
beneficial, as we reach clients both nationally and internationally. In addition, with India
Art Collective, we are getting an opportunity to give fair prices to art works, which get
revealed to all, thereby displaying the market scenario as well.”

‘Marrying’ as she puts it, visibility of Indian art with that of accessibility and
awareness, co-founder and fair director of India Art Collective, Sapna Kar, is
not just excited about this fair, but is also gung-ho about the wide variety of
works and artists which will come to fore.

“Indian artists are said to be on par with other international artists but
there is no real knowledge about them, among Indians interested in buying art.
Hence, India Art Collective is a platform for Indian art lovers, buyers and collectors
to easily access works of fine artists across the best galleries of the country.
It is also a platform to promote artists from cities that have no or few galleries
promoting artists,” Kar said.