Her regular visits to the shrines of art and culture as a student enabled her to foster a keen interest in the world of fine arts and mingle with the crème de la crème in creative circles. Ina Puri, who has been curating collectors’ items and shaping exhibitions for the past 25 years with élan, is now a name to reckon with in the Indian art scene. Be it canvas paintings, photography, graphic art, installations, book editing, writing columns or reviewing art, this high-priestess of art and aesthetics has been doing all it takes to catapult Indian art on a high pedestal.

Excerpts from an interview:

Rate it all

As curators, we were at an unreasonably exciting position, courtesy a sharp meteoric rise in art prices. The globally reputed art auction houses such as Sotheby’s, Saffronart or the Christie’s have repeatedly proved that art rates have hit through the roof. At some bidding sessions, paintings have really notched up staggering figures when put under the hammer. Be it a Tyeb Mehta or a Husain or a Tagore painting, the price-band read some astronomical amounts. However, we are now treading very carefully and have taken a more practical approach in correcting the prices rather than getting carried away with its ballooning impact. An adverse effect to the unrealistically exorbitant investment in the art mart has in the past witnessed a number of galleries and auction houses to shut shop.

Recession lull

During the recession phase, we did lie a bit low and followed what you may call an austerity drive in curtailing the sky-rocketing costs. The artscape could certainly feel the heat of an economic downslide. The concerned parties required to do some kind of a reality check and introspect over curbing the unwanted frills. However, there never prevailed a dramatic change which could turn the tables to a 360 degree.

Art of the matter

Earlier, art investment gained more currency as a superficial status symbol. With merchandising and random publicity, art became a much frequented avenue for the consumers to pitch in some quick money. As a result, the market started moving at a rapid pace. At present, this impulsive rush by the rack-raiders to splurge over art has subsided a lot and made way for a wiseman’s market to surface instead. People are now more calculative. They regularly contemplate, research and compare the markets, before lapping up a clutch of signature collections. Prices have also been streamlined to make it more affordable and accessible.

Elitist’s elixir?

Anybody should be able to appreciate art but very few people can actually possess it. You need that purchasing power in your wallet. Art can’t always be that pocket-friendly for a layman. Both means and willingness should complement each other to crack a deal. To do away with the pocket-pinch, one can look for economically viable options. For example, buying painting prints or works of not-so-expensive artists. Always consider a painted piece to be a treasurable art specimen that might cost you an arm and a leg. In order to stockpile a Husain, Bawa or a Ganesh Pyne painting, one needs to be aesthetically inclined and be aware of the depth of their genius.

early nurturing

During our formative years and later as a collegian, we always flocked with a keen mind to the famous art hubs and indulge in a dekko to absorb the finer nuances of our rich cultural heritage. Renowned art galleries of Kolkata, like The Academy of Fine Arts and the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, theatre houses, the annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival of South Mumbai, the Jehangir Art Gallery were all my favourite haunts. Even as a youngster, I remember buying a beautiful Badri Narayan temple tile and an attractive Jamini Roy painting pegged at Rs 4,500. Albeit the painting was expensive, I grabbed it simply because it appealed to my senses. One must learn to enjoy and appreciate art. The world is full of interesting people and pursuits. Just try to explore, imbibe and express its indelible impression left on your mental mirror.

New-age names

Today’s young, resourceful artists are eager to experiment with their works. Subodh Gupta is one such name. He is an icon and has set a trend of his own with his trademark originality. He has the conviction to do it differently. The dynamism in youth also shows a penchant to follow the enchantment of visual arts, pronged with its mystical magic. Sudarshan Shetty is another artist to watch out for. Besides, contemporary Indian poet, art critic, cultural theorist and independent curator Ranjit Hoskote and curator, art historian and ace painter Deeksha Nath are two other sought-after identities on the Indian artscape. Keralite sculptor-muralist K.G. Subramanyam and reputed installation artist Shaheen Merali of the old order with their wide range of artworks have always been my source of inspiration.

Art for art’s sake

Interesting shows with international participations of foreign delegates, cultural exchanges as well as art forums at the world-wide levels can always turn the tide in art’s favour. From museums, galleries, art foundations, coffee shops, bookstores, corporate offices to academic institutions and other such various places, art has certainly found its place in more ways than one.

On the cards

A second volume with illustrious photographer Nemai Ghosh is in the offing. After the inaugural phase of his coffeetable book Faces Of Indian Art, with 52 artists on its catalogue, saw a stupendous success, the forthcoming hardbound edition will see a cache of young painters’ works in progress at their respective personal studio spaces. An assembly of young artists, like Subodh Gupta, Sudarshan Shetty, Atul Dodiya and Baiju Parthan, will be highlighted in Nemaida’s photographic collection. This is a landmark documentation, wherein the septuagenarian shutterbug arrests the painters in their diverse moods and at different moments while they mould their amassed creations in their individual confined cauldrons. Besides, a book on Raghu Rai’s works will be unveiled in October. His collage on the Kolkata metropolis as well as the benign Mother Teresa on the commemoration of her centennial year will be showcased both at the ICCR and the Harrington Street Arts Centre in Kolkata.