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From the ‘Concerns’ Desk ... December 2008
Mumbai, We Stand by You
26th November 2008. We will not forget this date. On this fateful Wednesday evening, the first gun shots were fired in Colaba area (where most of the galleries are located) in Mumbai. The television channels initially reported it as some miscreants opening fire at each other in the streets. But more was in waiting.
By now we all know what has happened in Mumbai. Well trained terrorists with well planned strategy came to Mumbai and vandalized it. They killed around 135 people (it is the figure reported when type this editorial with a heavy heart) and injured a lot many. Artconcerns bows its head before the memory of all those who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident.
I contacted most of the friends in Mumbai who were available on phone and mail. I am happy all of them are safe. The galleries that were planning to have their opening during these days, have postponed their programs considering the seriousness of the situation.
Mumbai is not only our financial capital but also a place where most of our beloved artists are staying. Mumbai has worked so hard to place Indian contemporary art in the international map. The terrorist attack has affected the morale of Mumbai art scene too. But it is time for us to stand together and show our mettle. We shall overcome and we can do it.
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The recession talk is still on. During November, I spoke to several gallerists, collectors and art dealers regarding the ongoing economic crisis in the global market. All of them agreed on the reduction of liquid cash inflow in art market. However, most of them said that they would put their best efforts to support the artists and exhibitions, though they would cut down on side expenditures including throwing extravagant parties during the exhibition openings.
“I am committed to my artists and all those young artists whom I have taken under my patronage. I would cut costs wherever it is possible but I will not allow my artists to suffer because of market recession,” says one of the gallerists. The mood is same with all those gallerists I have spoken to. It is a good sign. Even if the dealers and secondary market operators have disappeared from the scene for the time being, the galleries still stand by their artists and shows.
Though, some galleries have called off their participation in certain international art fairs, they all continue with their committed domestic shows. The ongoing exhibitions and the listings show that we have enough resources to survive the bad times.
ARCO 2009 is one of the moral boosters we have right now. India is the guest country this year and Bose Krishnamachari curates the Indian section. A team of experts from Spain has already visited the cities including Delhi and Mumbai. International curators, magazines and other art agencies are still interested in Indian contemporary art. After this lull, there going to be a great time ahead.
Though the notion of correction coming as a part of the recession and recuperation has almost become a hollow thing, I seriously believe that those artists who don’t have any grey matter in their brains would be filtered out in the process. The correction should happen in the selection process of the galleries and of those coteries play backstage games to boost up certain names.
To put it in nutshell, the hoarding painters should go back to painting hoardings. They should not be riding on borrowed intelligence. It is so funny and pathetic to see some illiterate artists speaking on globalization and poverty in bombastic terms. It is pathetic to see some failed painters doubling themselves as conceptual artists. It is even degrading for our art scene to see so many people who spend more time before the mirrors than before works of art masquerading as curators. All these negative elements should be weeded out as early as possible to create a new, vigorous and intelligent art scene.
We all should develop that guts of Coriolanus who could tell the plebian to go and brush his teeth even while asking for his vote.
Enjoy reading,
Yours truly,
JohnyML
Editor-in-Chief
