What to consider when buying art

Paintings encourage your imagination and expand your perceptions of reality. They speak about your good taste, style and about your feelings. Though love and passion for art are the only important criteria before buying an art piece, there are other things art lovers need to be aware of before acquiring an original piece of art.

The first question that comes to mind is what determines the price? Why are some artist’s works far more expensive than others? Many researchers have tried to explain the variation in art prices in the elite, international market by using benchmarks like the medium (sculpture, painting, graphics), quality of material, size of the piece, advertising activity of the gallery, investment value as compared to rates of return from stocks and bonds, income, inflation, whether the artist’s gallery was one of a small set of avant-garde galleries, and whether the artist was alive. Explaining current prices by past prices is also reasonable but not very enlightening about the causes of the past prices, which is the crucial question. The combined effects of the important non price variables such as style, history of exhibitions were also cited as reasons for the variance.

Art prices are not standardized across physical characteristics such as size and media. Since collectors learn to appreciate art as a social process, their own aesthetic reaction to the work tends to be influenced by esteemed sources of information such as other admired collectors, elite dealers, critics, and curators (it’s another thing that this set of influencers might have a personal interest, aesthetic or economic )

This was the big picture, for a normal art work to be displayed at home or office, there are some general concepts to be considered before purchase, though there could be exceptions to it. A smaller painting of the same artist from the same period will have a lower price as compared to a bigger one, a painting in watercolour ,which is generally a quick medium to work with is cheaper than an oil painting by the same artist, The amount of effort an artist puts into a piece usually impacts the price though it is subjective .An artist’s creativity and vision is also their competitive advantage , some artists put a strong emphasis on how much time it takes for them to create a piece, and value their works based on that , though in today’s markets this might not hold ground .Last but not the least is the prominence of the artist that should be considered ; Professional artists and famous artists generally expect higher dollars for their work, simply put, the more shows and prizes won the loftier their level of prestige; the higher the elite status ; the higher the connoisseurship of other collectors owning the work; and the more articles, mono-graphs, and other media attention, the higher the prices.

There are a lot of budding artist but you may want to know which artist is making a buzz in the market. When all is said and done, the explanation of prices is not well understood and the difference between an artist who is ‘hot” and one who is not is fairly enigmatic. Buying a piece from a renowned artist adds a lot of worth to the painting and of course is considered a style statement. However buying from such artist may be an expensive affair.

Arching Figure Painting Complements the Studio of Yoga Instructor

Your choice of particular art piece may also depend on the interiors and the colours on the walls. In addition to this the location where you are going to display it plays an important part. Is it going to be displayed in a house as an interior décor or will be placed in a commercial space. A beautiful painting is a delight to the eyes and works well in a professional environment. For example the painting shown above was selected by a Yoga instructor for her studio, it reflects her interest in the physical form and the theme matches the location where it is displayed, the vivid colours add a visual punch to the wall and the creative designs may become a hot topic of conversation for visitors.

When buying art online, it is very important to understand the terms of buying and the refund policy. Does the website provide the credentials of the artist and whether the painting is an original piece or printed copy of the original piece? Reputable galleries give clear information on all these aspects.

The value of the art cannot be defined easily and therefore understanding the emotions a work triggers when you look at it, and how it makes you feel is of prime importance. The decision becomes easy when you decide to buy a painting that you can relate to. It can be difficult to find an art piece that will give the best return on investment but believe it or not, there is nothing more exciting than buying a piece of art that appeals to the heart and gives contentment to the soul.

Versatile abstract work, fits well in a residential or office environment

 

Subodh Gupta : Taking Indian art to a global audience

A chance meeting with Howard Rutkowski a veteran auctioneer , who has been with Sotheby’s and Bonhams  in the past and is now working as an independent art advisor in Singapore brought up the topic of Subodh Gupta. Howard  mentioned how he was involved in the sale of one of Subodh’s installations. Conversation that followed made me think about the  Indian artists that international art specialists recognize and what is so special about their art practice that makes them stand out .

When Marcel Duchamp , a French /American artist created an art work out of a porcelain urinal and titled it “Fountain” he was ahead of his times , but when Subodh Gupta incorporates everyday objects, such as the steel tiffin boxes , pans, buckets ,bicycles, and milk pails in his installations he is doing just what his peers in the art world are doing , transforming the icons of everyday life( so to say ready made objects ) into artworks that are readable globally.

Subodh Gupta (born in 1964) is an Indian artist based in New Delhi. Fast-changing culture provides both subjects and materials for Subodh Gupta’s captivating installations and sculpture. Drawing inspiration from his own life and memories, he is among a generation of young Indian artists whose commentary tells of a country on the move, fueled by boiling economic growth and a more materialistic mind-set.

Intentionally or unintentionally, but most certainly Gupta deals with Indian themes in a way that appeals to the Western eye. Since exhibiting at such venues as the Venice Biennale and Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art in 2005, he has become the face of contemporary Indian art for the global audience.

For this blog I have selected four works by Subodh that in my opinion are best recognized by a global audience, these will hopefully give a better understanding of  the subject he works on and the underlying thought behind his art .

One of Subodh’s major works, consisting of Indian cooking utensils, is ‘Line of Control’ (2008), a colossal mushroom cloud constructed entirely of pots and pans. The work, referring to the contested Kashmir border between disputed territories of India and Pakistan and the possibility of the nuclear conflict it might cause, was showcased at the Tate Britain, and received rave reviews.

SUBODH GUPTA, Line of control

 

Very Hungry God, 2006, installed in Venice’s Grand Canal. Another of Gupta’s tiffin-pot sculptures, a giant skull titled “The Very Hungry God “(2006)

 

SUBODH GUPTA, The very hungry God

 

One aspect that makes Subodh  stand out among his  contemporary’s  is his ability to draw attention through provocation . In his video Pure (2000), the artist, thickly covered in manure, is slowly hosed off until he is naked.  He explained his video by saying “Where I grew up, cow dung was used for spiritual cleansing,”. The idea that cow dung is inherently clean is ingrained in rural India, it’s use as a purifying element is both ritualistic and symbolic.

Gupta has always grappled with complex issues of identity, nostalgia, and stereotyping. In his oil on canvas painting titled ‘Saat Samundar Paar’ he uses baggage trolleys of modern airports to allude to the grim historical reality of migration from India.

 

SUBODH GUPTA , Saat Samundar Paar

 

Like a true artist he finds expression in different forms. In 2010, Gupta  collaborated with Angelin Preljocaj, the French choreographer  and designed the stage set for the ballet CREATION 2010.

Paintings , Installations, Video art and set designing , I would be anxious to see  what new frontiers Subodh explores next.

Inspiration or Plagiarism ?

Recently a client admiring a beautiful painting in my gallery said she loved the painting but would not buy it, because she wanted something “truly original” and this work seemed inspired by a famous artist. It really made me think about the concept of inspiration in Visual art, if a famous artist has used a particular style or theme, does it get patented by him, may be not literally but at least in the minds of the people who know him.

It is so easy to find inspiration these days given the reach of Internet and the easy availability of content. I have often wondered what happened in the older times when artists had limited exposure. . Did those masters revered so much now produce “Unique” work all the time?

In this blog I question the myth of originality. Let me illustrate with examples. Here are two paintings by different artists, done in a different year.

Domenichino, The Last Communion         Agostino Carracci, The Last  of 
of Saint Jerome, Communion, 1614         Saint Jerome,  1590s. Bologna, Pinacoteca
Vatican, Pinacoteca, Nazionale

Domenichino’d style and theme clearly seem inspired .The figures used are conspicuously similar to those composed by Carracci.In the 1670s Giovanni Battista Passeri (c. 1610 – 22 April 1679), an  Italian painter and a writer of the Baroque period defended such appropriation saying “Even though Domenichino used some of the figures from the Farnese Gallery by Carracci in those pictures, it does not deserve to be censured on account of this. Nor should it be accused of weakness in invention, nor lacking in good structure because through his theft, Domenichino makes us discover a greater truth, which knows how to use a pose, applying it in such an adept manner as it deems necessary and appropriate.”

Let’s fast forward and move further in time to 20th century, where famous artist Pablo Picasso once said “Good artists copy, great artists steal ”,There are various interpretations of this comment , coming from Picasso  who was  one of the pioneers of “Cubism” (along with Georges Braque),  he was not a  plagiarist for sure . To me his comment has a mystical interpretation ,  what he meant was that good artist when  inspired by a work, try to paint in a similar manner , whereas the Great artist steal meaning they imbibe it so efficiently in their work that it becomes an inseparable  part of their creation.

To see my point , have a look at some of the works below, you will find them very similar in style, use of colour & technique. One is by Pablo Picasso(1910) and the other by a famous Indian artist M.F Husain (end of 20^th century), Husain never denied the influence of Picasso in his works, but this does not mean that his works were a copy , he gradually developed a distinct style of his own, and there is no denying that he was a master of his craft.

Pablo Picasso –Girl with a                         M F Husain- part of “Our Planet
Mandolin(1910)                                       Earth “exhibition(2005)

Similar influence of legendry artist Husain’s work is evident in the paintings of some of the renowned Indian artists. For example Ravindra Tomer, a prolific artist uses style, bold lines and vibrant colors in his work which is similar to the work of Husain. Yes, he definitely has a flavor of Husain in his work …but is he copying? In my opinion he is just inspired by the legend.

  Hussain – Durga                            Ravindra Tomer – Krishna (2011)

A good artist does not necessarily have to be someone who introduced something never before seen-he could equally be someone who gave new life to old forms, what needs to be addressed is the question of artistic innovation within the boundaries of imitation and emulation. In all the three examples that I have cited the artists have been redeemed because, they seek identification, and are not trying to deceive the viewer.

My viewpoint about inspiration and stealing might differ from yours, do share your thoughts…

Origin of Modern art

Origin of Modern Art

To be modern means to be innovative, forward looking , it could be modern technology, modern society or modern art .

1863 is often regarded as the beginning of Modernism in art in the West, this was the year when famous artist Edouard Manet , displayed his works Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe and Olympia, these paintings caused a scandal in the Paris art circles that year. What was so scandalous about these paintings, that are considered such classical works of art today ?Certainly not the nakedness of the women, the artists at that time were not that prudish ,more over painting nudes was pretty common at that time…what shocked the viewers was the artists deliberate challenge to the way art was created, which stipulated that female nudes be elevated spiritually or through their classical context …What Manet painted were naked women, totally at ease among the men dressed in formal clothes , without the slightest pretense of divinity …

Edouard Manet, Le Dejeuner sur l’herbe, (1863)

 

Edouard Manet, Olympia,(1863)

 

It was around 1870 in Paris, where a circle of painters whom we now know as Impressionists, shook up the established art world. They painted their pictures with broad strokes that seemed unfinished as compared to the meticulous way of painting in those times, they portrayed life on the street instead of overblown heroic  scenes . A whole movement of artists emerged who no longer stuck to the prevailing rules, who had not necessarily come up through the academy and for whom individual expression was of prime importance.

Claude Monet, Impression-Sunrise (1872

The modern period in Indian art began around 1857 or so, I am taking it as a historical premise because The National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi covers its collection from about this period. In the west, the modern period starts conveniently with the Impressionists, Indian context is harder to define as India was ruled by the British and the main form of art was miniature paintings that went back to Buddhist and Jain manuscripts of the 9th century and continued through the Mughal period into colonial times.  However, when we talk of modern Indian Art, we generally start with the Bengal School of Painting, that started in the late 19^th /early 20^th century.

Bharat Mata by Abanindranath Tagore(1871-1951)

The nationalist project in art was led by Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951) and some enlightened Europeans such as EB Havell, the principal of the Government School of Art in Calcutta from 1896, and Sister Nivedita, an associate of Swami Vivekananda. Moving away from oil painting and subjects that were popular with both the British and Indian intelligentsia, Abanindranath looked to ancient murals and medieval Indian miniatures for inspiration both for subject matter, he used  indigenous material such as tempera for his works. They sought to develop an indigenous yet modern style in art as a response to the call for ‘swadeshi’ to express Indian themes in a pictorial language that deliberately turned away from western styles such as those practiced by Raja Ravi Varma.

This was the beginning of Modern art in the West and in India , what followed were various  art movements that  have inspired and shaped today’s art , the modernist drive to make something new is still alive ,and expresses itself in different forms .