Lado Sarai, an alternative space for artists

Type Lado Sarai in Google and you’ll come across numerous images of art galleries, artworks, artists paintings and art exhibitions. A non-decrepit village near Mehrauli in South Delhi until some years ago, Lado Sarai is fast emerging as one more art and cultural hub with many galleries opening up there.

While Mandi House, Lodhi Estate and Hauz Khas are hot spots for artists and art lovers for they house the oldest and prestigious cultural centres like India Habitat Centre (IHC), Indian International Center (IIC), Kamani, Shri Ram Centre, Triveni Kala Sangam, Alliance Francaise, National School of Drama, Sahitya Akademi and many more, Lado Sarai has turned home to at least 20-25 art galleries over the last few years.

Exhibit320, Gallerie Ruki, Latitude 28, Art Positive, Threshold Art Gallery, Art Perspective, Art Motif, Creativity Art Gallery are only some of the popular spaces.

Some rent out space to artists for holding exhibitions, while others buy and exhibit artworks to sell it to connoisseurs and art lovers.

These galleries are offering artists, especially younger painters and sculptors an alternative place to showcase their talent. Rukamini Chatterjee, whose Gallerie Ruki is been in the area for some years now, agrees. “Young artists don’t get footage in bigger and older galleries which are very costly. Galleries in this area give equal prominence to young as well as old artists,” she tells Metrolife.

Galleries in Lado Sarai work in coordination with each other to avoid clash of events and exhibition as much as possible.

Owners and directors of these galleries meet regulary and discusss innovative ways for displaying artworks. They plan their schedules according to each other’s.

“The place is doing much more than offering an alternate option to the artists. There so many galleries next to each other. Even if their events clash, people can visit more than one exhibition or gallery at a time,” says Bhavna Kakar, Director, Latitude 28, which too opened up three years ago.

“IHC, IIC and Mandi House are hubs mainly for dance, music and other per­forming arts. Most importantly, they are rent-based. On the other hand, galleries in Lado Sarai offer permanency. “Not only artists but small buyers too are seeking benefit from these galleries who wish to buy artwork but can’t afford big artists’ work.

“Many art lovers want affordable artwork that they won’t be able to find at bigger galleries. Here, you can find artworks starting from the range of Rs 5000,” says Rukamini.