Small town artists, galleries look up at India Art Fair

Small town artists have made their way into the most awaited calendar art event of the year, the India Art Fair. At a time when the global economy and the art market in particular, face challenging business environment, contemporary artists from small towns are increasingly taking the spotlight.

Akash Choyal, who has made a name for himself for 3D illusion art and fibre glass sculptures, and who hails from Jaipur said, “Artists from small towns have to depend on internet and foreign tourists to showcase their art works and sell them. This fair is extremely helpful in giving a larger platform for such artists.”

Choyal has launched what he claims to be the world’s first contemporary and most expensive 3D Art Book “Mellif luence”. The book contains six actual miniature triographs of masterpiece works of the artist.

It has been priced at around Rs 45,000. The book, with only 500 copies – all numbered and signed by the artist, was launched by eminent theatre personality and director Bhanu Bharti. “One thing is certain, the fact that the original Indian tradition has not marked Akash Choyal in an indelible way; the traditional artistic culture does not continuously resurface as often happens in other Indian artists’ works, this is Choyal’s greatness,” said, Sandro Orlandi, AD of ARTantide.com and First Biennale of Contemporary Art Italy–China; Curator of the Syrian Pavilion in the 54th Venice Biennale.

Choyal said, “I think small town artists are scared to earn money and they do not even have an idea that through art one can get rich.” Another artist Dilip chobsia hailing from Vadodara, who is showcasing four of his works at IAF feels that irrespective of the fact where an artist is based one has to be good at his or her work and then recognition will automatically follow.

“When an artist starts off he or she to showcase their work has to participate in group shows so that galleries, buyers as well as people can see the work you are offering,” said Chobsia whose works were a sellout last edition and quite popular this time around too.

According to Charu Choyal, an abstract artist from Shimla, “Artists in metropolitan cities are more interested in brand and glamour in turn their art gets influenced by it. But small town artists are more influenced by nature and peace; they live a secluded life which is better for creativity. Small town artists are not influenced by critics.”

Charu moved her base from Delhi to Shimla in search for seclusion to give her creative imagination the right kind of environment to thrive on. Charu Chobsia said, “I myself stayed in Mumbai for a while and then also in Delhi, but I moved back to Vadodara, because I felt that I was getting distracted. In big cities you do get influenced by critics and buyers sentiments. Your works becomes commercial.”