By IANS
New Delhi : India’s first art summit scheduled for August this year in the capital will not only offer a platform to showcase the Indian art but also will facilitate discussions by all stake-holders.
“We are very late in coming to this stage. Nevertheless, it’s good that it has finally happened. Like the rest of the world, artists here will now have a platform to discuss various subjects related to art,” renowned artist Anjolie Ela Menon told IANS on the sidelines of a press meet here Thursday.
“Until five years back, nothing much was happening in the Indian art scenario because the government was simply not doing enough to promote Indian art in the way it should be.
“But now that private companies are coming forward and taking interest in it, things seem to be improving,” said Menon.
Well-known artist S.H. Raza agreed with her. “An initiative like this will go a long way in the cultural development of India. I am glad that private organizations are now taking the initiatives to facilitate such collaborations within the arts,” he said.
The biggest collection of art in the country will be showcased at the summit. Experts including artists, officials from the corporate world, investors, art galleries, art insurers and anyone interested in the subject can take part in an open forum.
The summit will be held over a period of two days. The dates are, however, yet to be fixed.
“It will offer an ideal opportunity for networking among the art fraternity and investors.
“Some of the topics of discussion will be ‘The present scenario of art in India’, ‘Fluctuations in the art market and investment trends’ and ‘Evaluation of authenticity of an art piece’, which will help everyone,” said Sunil Gautam, group managing director of Hanmer MS&L, which is organizing the summit.
With a growth rate of 30-35 percent annually, the Indian art scenario is looking bright. The Indian art market is the fourth buoyant art market in the world and is worth Rs.15 billion.
The summit, which is likely to be attended by an estimated 6,000 visitors and 40 exhibitors, has received support from veteran artists such as Menon, Raza and Krishen Khanna, art critics like Keshav Malik, art collector Sangita Jindal and gallery owner Yash Birla.