The WOMEN of Art

In a Bazaar India exclusive, 16 of the country’s leading gallerists share their prized advice on how to invest, the artists to consider, and the future of the Indian art scene.

- Radhika Bhalla

SHIREEN GANDHY

Director, Chemould Prescoll Road, Mumbai

“I was all of four years old when I entered the exhibition of Homi Patel in our gallery—an abstract exhibition painted in hues of white. My dad always reminded me that I was least perturbed by the non-colour...I walked straight in and pointed at my favourite painting in the show.

Mine is a legacy gallery that was started by my parents in 1963. I have walked and talked art all my life, and was brought up by art-obsessed parents whose friends painted or collected. I began working besides my parents in 1988.

I have, fortunately, never faced any gender discrimination. My mother was a much stronger force than my father; we are a family of strong women. Most of all, I have always worked with female artists—many who have dominated the scene, and my colleagues (other gallerists) are mostly women, many who are my closest friends.

It’s very important to keep looking at art before one becomes an ‘investor’. Getting lists from others is the worst form of collecting. Make your own judgements, read, listen, get to know the artist to understand more. Art is not a stock. There is pleasure in owning and living with it. Years later, it has the potential of being sold if one desires, but to imagine every work you buy will translate into big bucks in a short time is a misnomer.

I have my ‘comfort painting’, which is the Atul Dodiya seen here...it holds for me memories of the artist’s journey, and I feel like my life ran parallelly to when this work was made. If you’re considering young artists, look out for Gurjeet Singh, Vinita Mungia, Ritika Pandey, and Tarini Sethi.”