Gaurav Bhatia likes to wear a vermillion scarf with his designer suits, usually Caraceni or Kiton. He has that little bit of the eccentric to him which sets him apart from most corporates. His love for art and culture was nurtured from a very young age, thanks to his mother. He was 13 when he bought his first antique bookcase and soon became the perfect connoisseur, with a nose for Champagne (Krug being a favourite) and fine art. Bhatia, 41, is now settling well into his role as the new Managing Director, Sotheby’s India — one of the oldest auction houses in the world. Incidentally, last month, Sotheby’s became the first to commission designers to create a 360-degree experience, presenting virtual reality surrealist paintings through Oculus Rift headsets in London. It is part of their digital strategy to appeal to tech-savvy buyers. Bhatia agrees that technology has brought art closer to the average person. He was in the capital recently to facilitate Sotheby’s Institute of Art’s two-day intensive course, which featured lectures from leading experts in Modern and Contemporary art. Over lunch at The Leela Palace in Chanakyapuri, he got talking about the new art collector and why 2017 is a significant year for Indian art.
From luxury market expert and ‘Champagne Boy’ to MD at Sotheby’s India?
I started off as an ad man in New York at an agency called Young & Rubicam. It was the only big ad agency on Madison Avenue, so in that sense, I am one of the real ‘Mad Men’. I did that for 10 years, while visiting galleries like the MET and the Guggenheim while there. Then I was approached to work at LVMH’s Moet Hennessy in India. It was a tough market to conquer, since India was mostly a brown spirits nation with a predilection for whisky. I was to share the magic of Champagne in India. And once I was looking at the luxury industry, the move to art and collectibles seemed almost natural.
So the love for art predates your work at any of these companies?
My mother, who was from Lucknow, was a second-generation art collector, as my grandfather was a patron of the Miniatures. She was more interested in Modern art and I inherited the collector’s gene. My father, a banker, supported my mother’s decisions to do up our home with antiques, collectibles and Modern art. I would accompany them on various trips to acquire art or hunt down an antique, and came back with rich stories. Over the years, I have liked to match an old carpet and an oak desk with a very cutting-edge contemporary painting by Zakir Hussain or Jitish Kallat. I also love the Kalighat Pats and some of the Bengal School Masters. Sometimes, my wife Pratima and I open a bottle of good wine or Moet and spend the evening just looking at the new painting we bought. There is no better way to spend an evening.
What are your plans for the Indian art market in your new role at Sotheby’s?
My first step is to open avenues to educate and make available trends and resources to the new collector. We will have short courses, like this one, and wine-and-cheese events in all the top tier cities to personally introduce art to the buyer. We brought reproductions of the rare MF Husain that showed at the Sao Paulo Biennale, for instance, just to give collectors a sense of what we are dealing with here. Sotheby’s is the oldest auction house in the world and has been active in India for almost three decades now. I am working with the leading collectors in the country. And we plan to further develop its calendar of events with exhibitions, talks and educational programmes.
What is the definition of the new art collector today?
The new art collector is curious, connected and may collect cross-category. Their exposure to art and popular culture internationally has been more immersive and frequent. A mention of Botticelli and Bhupen (Khakhar) in the same conversation is now de rigueur. Technology has been the best equaliser in the democratisation of the art conversation. So today’s art collector in India attends an opening at the Tate, albeit on Instagram. I once bought a piece of art after seeing a picture posted on Facebook. The reach is incredible and the horizons truly unlimited. Of course, all this exposure has come from a well-travelled younger generation that may have studied in international institutions abroad and have visited museums and galleries there.
While well-known collectors like Isabelle and Jean-Conrad Lemaitre, Anurag Khanna and Vir Kotak are leading the way, how is Sotheby’s helping new collectors?
It’s wonderful and necessary to have stalwarts like Khanna and Kotak, but the Indian Art Market will only grow if more people start buying art. The way forward is to educate young collectors, get them excited about art, engage them with galleries, inculcate a culture of going to exhibitions. And remember, there are no stupid questions.
Did the India Art Fair boost the art market overall?
I think the Art Fair was very encouraging post demonetisation. The thing about genuine collectors is that they buy even when the market is not that good. Many new collectors were part of the new market at the Fair. One could conclusively say that demonetisation was a short-term hiccup. It also proves that people are attracted to quality work, since galleries that had good art, sold.
What should collectors be looking for while buying Indian Art?
Art truly enriches your life, so it is essential that you really love whatever you consider buying. Contemporary Indian art is a reflection of our times, a silent ode to an incredible civilisation that has been so art-rich. Train your eye by visiting as many museums and galleries that you can. Follow top galleries in the country, museums and art institutions across the world on social media — become part of the dialogue. Be led by your curiosity and passion and you can’t go wrong — and speak to experts. The best collections are a reflection of one’s personal style and flair.
Are there any big developments or auctions to look forward to in the future?
The client is young. A key priority for us is education – we need to democratise the conversation around art and inspire young new collectors. Last week, we brought for the first time to New Delhi the Sotheby’s Institute of Art. This is a highly immersive course on the international contemporary art scene with a focus on South Asian Contemporary Art.
Why is the year 2017 significant for art?
There is a realistic optimism and excitement in the market. The Biennales, Art Fairs and private museums, while few in number, are adding a wonderful flavour, shaping the collector’s mind and giving them incredible exposure. There are in all six major auction houses in the country today. 2017 is going to be fun.
Journey as a collector
I collect Contemporary Art as it excites me to have a dialogue with young artists who have a point of view on our ethos today. Their art is au courant and exciting. Some of the artists I collect are Sarnath Banerjee, Abir Karmakar, Ayesha Sultana, and photography by Nandini Valli Muthiah and Pushpamala. I also have old masters like printmaker Krishna Reddy and I am a big patron of folk art, especially Mithila art by Satya Narayan Lal Karn. I also collect old furniture and objet d'art - largely from The House of Mahendra Doshi and Phillips Antiques.
The future of art in India
With a focus on cultural value (rather than purely fiscal), Indian art is seeing a resurgence. The India Art Fair and the Kochi Biennale have had great international recognition. It is encouraging to see global institutions including Indian modern and contemporary artists in their programmes – be it Bhupen Khakhar at Tate, Nasreen Mohamedi at New York’s Met Breuer or Nalini Malani in 2017 at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam (she will be ending the year with her retrospective at the Center Pompidou in Paris).
The Delhi-based writer is a curator and art critic
