The art of making an artist's work speak to the world

The pandemic has taught many of us the importance of creative expression during a time of distress. As art becomes a symbol of hope, artists become storytellers. But even the greatest artists may falter as communicators. Some face a language barrier while others are reserved, and may need a leg-up to get their message across.

Art curators work behind the scenes to contextualise art and help lay people make sense of an artist’s work through galleries, museums and even digital exhibitions.

“Art curation, essentially, is having an eye for art and putting it together in tandem with the artist and showcasing it to the public. A curator is a conduit or a translator, who understands the process and inspiration of the artist, and tries to put together an exhibition that represents the idea without diluting the substance,” says Sanjana Shah, independent curator and creative director of Tao Art Gallery, Mumbai.

Sanjana’s job as a curator involves researching an artist’s body of work and even visiting their studios to understand the art. “Observing them at work helps me put together a ‘concept note’ that can explain the thought process behind the art to the audience,” she says.

Sanjana learnt her earliest lessons in art curation from her mother Kalpana Shah, a passionate art connoisseur and collector, who founded Tao Art Gallery in 2000. She grew up around art — attending exhibitions, watching her mother interact with the masters of Modern Art and travelling to their shows abroad.

“I have the legacy of the gallery but my passion was writing. So initially, I did a lot of curatorial concept notes and cataloguing,” she says.

Later, she later moved to co-curating with her mother and soon started identifying artists that she wanted to work with. Whether it is a one-person show or a group show, choosing the artwork that resonates with the aesthetic of her gallery as well as India’s cultural landscape is equally important for Sanjana. Apart from collaborating with the masters, she also reaches out to young artists whom she discovers at art fairs or colleges.

Apart from organising workshops and lecture series like #EducateForArt, once a show is launched, Sanjana also conducts walkthroughs. Being a gallerist, in her case, comes with the additional responsibility of engaging with clients and making art sales. She also works as an art consultant both in India and abroad.

People and art are the two factors that excite her about the field. While being around art and observing it is a meditative exercise, meeting creative people practising various forms of art is a synergistic exercise, she explains.

Early days

Art curation wasn’t a big concept in India until the late 2000s, when curatorial sensibilities of the West started trickling in. As more mediums came up, the value started shifting from the art to the mind of the artist. Since contemporary art is neither self explanatory nor visually vibrant, it opened an opportunity for curators to intervene and convey the idea as well as its value through writing.

Over the last few decades, galleries have evolved from mere platforms that promote the artists to spaces where different kinds of art collaborate.

Sanjana cites the example of her show titled Astral Bodies. “I collaborated with dancers to paint their bodies and put up an art performance where it seemed like they were an extension of the art — like the abstract art had come alive. For the people, it was a fascinating experience.”

For all her work in this field, Sanjana isn’t a student of fine art. She holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, English Literature, Psychology and Communication Design from the Indian School of Design & Innovation. She has also completed art history and curatorial courses from Christie’s and Sotheby’s in London.

Today, there are several colleges and museums in India that offer PG Diploma or Master’s courses in fine arts, art history or curatorial studies. But Sanjana recommends internationally acclaimed art auction houses or institutes like Sotheby’s and Christie’s over a liberal arts college mainly because of the rigorous and specialised experience it provides.

A practical field

However, becoming an independent art curator takes time in an industry where the scope is limited and requires work experience in a museum or gallery. But for those intent on it, art history is a solid foundational degree, Sanjana feels. As whimsical as art is, art curation is just as practical.

Aspirants must have good people skills, adapt to situations in a fluid industry, have executable ideas and be meticulously organised.

In India, curators are often overshadowed by artists and struggle to be recognised and reimbursed for their work. For curatorial work to get due appreciation and credit, more people will have to take up the profession, she says.

Another challenge is creating exhibitions that are socially relevant but also aesthetically appealing to the audience. “Striking a balance between audience sensibilities and the intent of the art is tough. You don't want to dilute the essence of the show or turn down artists because their art is not going to be picked up.”

While art is created for a larger audience, directly inspired by a country’s social, political and cultural conditions, in India, there is a notion that only a niche clientele with a certain sensibility can engage with or purchase it. Sanjana believes that education is the only way to debunk these myths and change perspectives.

“Communication is critical to get a dialogue started, and that falls on the curator. We need to break the elitist image and reiterate that art, ultimately, is a means to connect for all by targeting younger audiences and younger artists through workshops and lectures.

Mapping Niches is a fortnightly series that sheds light on careers that are off the beaten track, through the eyes of professionals working in a particular field