The pandemic has brought gloom not just for artists worldwide but also for connoisseurs and collectors of art. As gallery exhibitions start their post-Covid stint on a slow and unsteady note, TAP (The Art Platform) India has roped in 14 renowned galleries in the country to put up online exhibitions on their website. The initiative is aimed at people wishing to add to their collections, invest in their very first piece of art, or simply walk through an exhibition again – albeit from the comfort and safety of their homes.
The collaborating galleries will curate works, which will be showcased as virtual exhibitions on their website. Besides new exhibitions every few weeks,there will be online events and guest talks with industry insiders sharing tips for both experienced buyers and budding collectors. Says Tunty Chauhan, Director of Gallery Threshold, “The platform is a huge step forward in making the primary market more transparent and helping buyers make informed choices. People buy art for different reasons, and with so many galleries on board, they will have easier access to so much art. Yet, follow-ups can be on a personal level, as they always are.”
Among the participating galleries are some of the most well-known names in the contemporary art circuit. Delhibased Gallery Art Heritage is exhibiting works ranging from watercolour paintings by the famed KG Subramanyan to photographs by the emerging Cop Shiva. Gallery Director Amal Allana says, “Our gallery known to take risks. We seek to cultivate and support new work that is not only aesthetically superior but whose content engages with our times.” Meanwhile, Tribal Art Forms, a collaboration between Exhibit 320 and Blueprint12, is showcasing Sanjay Manubhai Chitara’s intricate “Mata ni Pachedi” paintings and a collection of fine bronze Bhuta masks from southern Karnataka. “We are very excited to collaborate with TAP India to showcase Indian folk and tribal art on a parallel platform with Indian contemporary art. Our vision is to enable folk and indigenous art forms to travel from its origins in traditional spiritual and religious expressions into the mainstream art world, to a global audience,” stated gallerists Mandira Lamb, Ridhi Bhalla and Rasika Kajaria.
The platform will also let collectors access artwork from India and the world over. For instance, Wonderwall, which is dedicated to fine art photography, will be showcasing works by Paul Brouns, Prarthana Modi, Waleed Zafar and Amber Hammad. Founder Ajay Rajgarhia says, “With the pandemic traditional methods of doing business have to be re-evaluated. The future is the online and contactless sale.The coming together of India’s premier galleries under one platform will help us tap into the synergies and joint promotion of the endeavour will produce better results than individual efforts.”
