Stimulating article by Bharun Roy in India's Business Standard. The Indian art market is booming, driven by the same forces that make India a favorite of private equity players and investors the world over. But as in the Indian economy more broadly, the lack of an infrastructure is troubling. In this case, the lack of public space for art, and a public for art, is troubling:

«By contrast, the average Indian’s acquaintance with art begins and ends with drawing lessons at school. Most Indians go through life looking only at portraits of divinities, religious gurus, or forebears at home and movie stars in newspapers, on TV, or on advertising billboards. There’s little public art to stimulate people’s artistic senses except ill-maintained and often, badly-done statues of national and local celebrities. In the press or on TV, movies merit lengthy coverage, not art. Most cities don’t even have an art museum. The few museums that exist do little to promote themselves and attract visitors. Attendance at art exhibitions is pathetic.

Thus, all this hoopla about modern Indian art has no real existence in the public mind, and the vacuum keeps growing bigger. As collectors, investors, and auctioneers get busy, art passes out of the public domain. With prices rocketing with every sale, no public museum in this country will be able acquire new works by major artists any more. Even lesser known artists are now dealing directly with private galleries and buyers, and have little incentive to sell to museums. Museums have failed miserably to be a motivator of art, or art appreciation, in this country.»

# posted @ 9:11 AM