For all the people out there who get intimi-dated by art galleries and their mysterious inter-iors that presently abound with pots, pans and acrylic that sell at stupendous prices, and for all those who don’t, comes the leveller of all levellers – an art fair in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Reminiscent of melas and tousled gatherings of intellengisia on hot dusty evenings, the ‘fair’ is somewhat a more accessible term. And accessibility is the aim of the Indian Art Summit 2008, put together by Hanmer MS & L.

Going Public
Dr Robert Storr, Dean, Yale University School of Art, USA, who is one of the people flying in specially for the occasion, is interested in the “opportunity it affords to make crucial distinctions between commercial formats for showing art and exhibitions and formats such as museums, alternative spaces, biennials and the like.” He elaborates, “I have nothing against dealers and galleries, but they primarily reach an already engaged segment of the public – collectors especially – whereas large exhibitions and small ones in venues more readily accessible to the non-art world public represent the long term hope for Indian contemporary artists – or for contemporary artists anywhere – of making a lasting mark on their country, their culture and their time.”

Why Now?
What makes it the right time, keeping aside the fact that art is the new mantra and one of the biggest money-spinners? Renu Modi, of Gallery Espace admits that about a decade ago, she had tried to bring about such a fair at Pragati Maidan and it fell through then. She believes it is the right atmosphere for an art market – it is happening elsewhere in the world, why not here?

The Outcome
Renu Modi feels that such a summit that brings together like-minded people discussing issues and ideas will automatically see things and trends materialising. That is not to say that there haven’t been seminars and symposiums in Delhi, where not much has come out of the discussions – it is important to implement these ideas in the long-term, stresses the gallery owner. Echoing her thought, Dr Storr believes that “just getting a group of active, committed people in any field into one room – artists, art professionals in this case – can throw sparks and have a profound catalytic effect on the scene if everyone comes prepared to listen as well as to speak.”

Philip Hoffman, chief executive, The Fine Art Fund Group, considers the Indian art market to still be in its emerging phase. He specifies that the size of the market has grown from $2 million to approximately $400 million in seven years alone. “An art fair could really help boost the growth rate by directly involving galleries and artists alike, getting collectors and investors on site and by generating general interest.”

Going Global
Dr Hugo Weihe, international director, Asian Art, Christies, sees Indian art as becoming increasingly global, India and all things Indian occupying a new pride of place, while Peter Nagy, Nature Morte, feels that the best of Indian art is already truly global, but also thinks that Indian culture, as a whole, is becoming more relevant and important to the entire world. Nagy deliberates that while this also has to do with economic and political influence, interest in contemporary Indian art is also a natural extension of the increased globalisation of the art world.

Philip Hoffman, who agrees with Nagy in the sense that the Indian art scene is already global, believes that modern and contemporary Indian art has long been undervalued as compared to other areas of the art market, and with the boom of the financial markets, real estate and all other asset classes in India, many new art collectors are establishing themselves and purchasing works from artists of similar heritage. “We believe there is a high level of creativity and talent in India, which is going to make this market move even further, and with continued global exposure in 2008, we think that this is the right time to invest in Indian art.” He continues, “Prices are continually rising and are much higher than they were, say, five years ago. However, when compared to the Western contemporary art market there is clearly potential for an increase in prices.”