Empty spaces can mean so much – the way it is either filled up or not. It is a suggestive blank canvas to do whatever one wants to create - meaningful, vibrant yet tranquil and bursting with good energy. So when walls are bedecked with works of art that celebrate life, in a modest space in Mandaveli, it makes a statement about what art means to the person who has taken upon herself to “Appreciate Art and Let Art Appreciate.”
It is not just promoting art and artists that Sujatha Narayanan is seeking to do through her Thinking Hats Home Gallery. “We aim to showcase the life and emotions of artistic expression – to enable every household to take custody (as against using the word buy) of at least one original piece of art — own an original, own a legacy! It is about a certain inner familiarity, something fundamental and essential in our daily lives,” says Sujatha.
Walking though the bright, moderate sized rooms of an apartment that doubles as an office space for Sujatha (who is also a writer, producer and ad film maker), there are works primarily by Tamil Nadu artists and “those are the one I want to promote actually.” These are interspersed with lovely little sayings laid out here and there – like the one that reads: ‘Art- Washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life - Picasso.’
How did this come about? Sujatha says she has been interested in art and artists from Tamil Nadu for a long time. “I wanted to find a way of benefitting them through awareness and then monetising their works. I see people gifting plastic or some such, spending a great deal of money. I’d say, spend on art. It makes for something aesthetic as well as something that is an investment. It is a great thing to gift, isn’t it?”
Artists whose works are on display are Viswam (abstract), G. Raman and Manohar Natrajan (Indian Contemporary), Pon Raghunathan (village life) and Keshav Venkatraghavan (Krishna series). Sujatha works directly with the artists to get them to produce works for Thinking Hats. This also means that the works are recent and are updated often to ensure that latest works are available to those interested. Prices are given on request. She even arranges for artist-buyer meet if required.
All this for now when Thinking Hats Home Gallery is a few months old. “We have at least one visitor every day and sell paintings which are so heartening for us as well as for the artist. For instance, the works of Keshav are only available with us.”
Of course, the Gallery will not stop with just keeping works of art for people to appreciate and buy. Plans are afoot for lecture demonstrations, bringing in more artists, having installations and other art-related activities. Folk art will also get space here. Says Sujatha, “I can even help people with suggestions about what would suit their homes or office spaces. I hope the idea will expand and reach out to many who want to own art, but are hesitant thinking it is beyond their means. I am just trying to say that it need not be so. It can be affordable and it can beautify their surroundings.”
Thinking Hats Home Gallery is located at T1, 3rd Floor, Lotus Madhuram Apartments, East Circular Road, Mandaveli.
