Everyone knows that art can do wonders to enhance the aesthetics of their home. That’s easier said than done, considering buying a piece of art is tied to the personality of home owner, aesthetic sensibility, nature of space available, and quite importantly, affordability. Where interior designers help design spaces, a few art galleries in the city are using their own homes to display works of artists, thus stepping in to help buyers decide on art works for their homes, albeit in an unobtrusive way.
Murals deck up and add a dash of colour to the quiet, residential colony in Prashasan Nagar, Jubilee Hills. A building there serves a dual purpose; it is not only home to Chandana Khan but also to Pegasus Art Gallery in its basement.
Pegasus art gallery
Passion rules
The former bureaucrat has always been passionate about art; she is an artist and an art collector too. The basement that has been converted into an art space plays host to group exhibitions, interactive art talks and screenings of short films on artists. “If I’m not to be found at home, my friends know that I will either be at the gallery or the art storage area on the ground floor,” smiles Chandana.In the evenings, the two-room gallery (with a separate gate) acquires a life of its own showcasing an eclectic mix of works. Sometimes even the walls of the parking area display works of art. At its recent ‘12x12’ exhibition, the small space accommodated 35 artworks of 1ft x 1ft size. “It is easy to visualise how these small works would look in one’s drawing/bed room. Buyers can pick artwork that suits their house décor,” says artist and curator Debabrita Biswas.
One part of the house is Shrishti Art gallery
That homely feel
One of the oldest galleries in the city, Shrishti Art Gallery on Road No. 15 in Jubilee Hills was one of the first to create a niche space for art within a palatial building. Lakshmi Nambiar recalls how her mother Remani Nambiar created a gallery that provides a platform for young artists from the city. “My mother would organise art classes in a leased space and realised artists didn’t have an avenue to show their works. So, in 2002 when we were constructing this house, she created a separate space for a gallery. Surrounded by lush greenery, the gallery is detached from the house. “Here, it is easy for us to show buyers how a piece of artwork would look in their house.” Shrishti’s homely atmosphere makes it less intimidating for visitors who do not frequent art shows.
It’s not just buyers, even gallery owners are impacted by space constraints and soaring real estate prices. Shahnaz Arni’s working studio adjacent to her house in Jubilee Hills doubles as Minaaz Art Gallery. Earlier when her gallery was at Banjara Hills, she had to battle heavy traffic on a daily basis. “After the boom in real estate, there was an increase in rental rates. Subsequently, there was a slump in the art market. As a result, I couldn’t afford to pay the rent. That’s when I decided to renovate my studio at home and convert it to a gallery space.” The gallery has housed works of notable artists such as T. Vaikuntam, Laxma Goud, Fawad Tamkanat, Arti Veer, Anjani Reddy, Kavita Deuskar and DLN Reddy among others.
“I don’t feel happy about displaying large works, as the viewing space is limited. I usually have small, medium and slightly larger works. Nowadays, most people live in apartments, so these works will complement the space,” she explains.
At VSita Gallery
For the artists too, these cosy galleries have their own advantages. Maredu Ramu, whose abstracts adorned the walls of VSita gallery, shares that the simple settings help keep the paintings in focus and facilitate interaction, letting art lovers mingle with each other. He shares that the concept of galleries at, or close to, homes is also found in Kolkata. Incidentally, VSita gallery derives its name from 84-year-old Sita Mahalakshmi Sastry who, unafraid of taking risks at her age, transformed her own drawing room into ‘VSita’ gallery to provide space for emerging artists. With an avid interest in art, Sita Sastry had always dreamed of running a gallery. “In the present vibrant art scene, many emerging and young artists are eager to show their works but cannot afford big galleries. At this age, I cannot construct a gallery, so I simply converted my drawing room into a gallery,” says Sita Sastry.
So art comes home, for all.
To convert your home into a gallery
Passion alone will not suffice; knowledge of art and artists and their works is needed.
Be practical and understand the market. Not every visitor is art literate, though they may love to own a piece of art.
Learn how to promote art even during a slump.
For aesthetic interiors
Aim for wide open spaces; they can be adapted for different display formats.
White walls are preferred but contrasting just one portion of the wall with a grey or black colour will work as well.
Focus on lighting.
Bottomline: Focus on art, not the room.
(Inputs from Prashanthi Goel of Aalankritha Art Gallery)
