Along with China, India has proven itself to be one of the major players in the art market today. Over the last two years, most important international art dealers and collectors have embraced the stars of contemporary Indian art. In a period characterized by market volatility, investors now present Indian art as an investment with strong growth potential.
Vivek Vilasini (born in 1964), Untitled (Art), 2007 (Lot 880)
Laser print on paper, Edition "1/5", 35,88 x 53,43 in, Estimates 3 000 - 4 000 €
The Indian Art Summit, India's first international contemporary art fair, attracted crowds and garnered considerable media attention, illustrating the current art market trend towards embracing promising new artists. Record prices for contemporary top artists, from Subodh Gupta to TV Santosh, have accentuated this new development, opening the market to much more affordable artists. Contemporary Indian art has now entered the new, exciting phase of seeking out and discovering the star artists of tomorrow.
Mithu Sen illustrates this trend. Current values for works by Mithu Sen, an artist who has participated in many international exhibits, increased by a factor of 5 in 2008. Alexis Kersey and Dileep Sharma will hold their first solo show at Nature Morte. Tanmoy Samanta and Birendra Pani (recently seen at Gallery Espace), Alex Mathew (solo show, Bombay Art Gallery, July 2008), Bhrigu Sharma, Alok Bal and Murali Cheeroth (exhibited in many galleries across India), Pranati Panda (seen at the Indian Art Summit), are some of the artists becoming a focus among enlightened connoisseurs and professionals.
Bose Krishnamachari (born in 1963), Untitled (Lot 884)
Acrylic on canvas 35,10 x 93,60 in, Estimates 30 000 - 40 000 €
Shibu Natesan (born in 1966), Announcement II (Lot 875)
Water color on paper, 45,63 x 58,11 in, Estimates 20 000 - 30 000 €
The sale will feature a selection of affordable works by recognized artists such as Anjolie Ela Menon, Arpana Caur (with a rare painting where, like Frida Kahlo, the artist refers to her recent open-heart surgery with strength and subtlety), Arpita Singh, Viswanadhan, Shanthamani, Sohan Qadri, Thota Vaikuntam, Atul Dodiya (lithograph by one of the top contemporary artists), Shibu Natesan, Bose Krishnamachari, Jitish Kallat and Jagannath Panda (works on paper by these prominent artists), Hema Upadhyay (a painting representing one of her first emblematic themes), and Justin Ponmany with one of his typical paintings and holograms on canvas. A painting by Subodh Gupta, atypical in the light of his recent work and, by its quality, representative of his first works that were inspired by daily life, rounds off the group.
The Indian modern art portion of the sale is highlighted by a gorgeous nude by F.N. Souza, two significant paintings by S.H. Raza, a remarkable painting of 1946 by the Sri Lankan artist George Keyt and an important canvas by Jehangir Sabavala (who had a solo show at the Sakshi Gallery Bombay last September)...
Indian photography, a booming medium, will also be offered with attractive works by Ravi Agarwal and Vivek Vilasini, T.S. Satyan (a legend of photo-journalism), Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, and also Surekha, an artist also much appreciated for her installations and videos, her works are part of many international exhibitions.
Finally, tribal art will also be included with two particularly powerful works by the legendary artist from the Warli tribe, Jivya Soma Mashe, whose works will be seen in two major exhibitions on Indian tribal art, one at the Devi Art Foundation scheduled for end 2009, and the other, early 2010 in Paris at the Musée du Quai Branly.
Sayed Haider Raza (born in 1922), Paysage, 1965 (Lot 855)
Oil on canvas, 23,40 x 23,40 in, Estimates 30 000 - 40 000 €
Public Exhibition
25 to 27 October, 10am-9pm
28 October, 10am-3pm
Auction 28 October, 2:30pm.
Hôtel Marcel Dassault
7 rond-point des Champs-Élysées
75008 Paris
View catalogue online
> Contemporary Art 2, 28 october, lots 840 to 899A
Bid Department
Marianne Balse
Phone: +33 (0)1 42 99 20 51
Absentee bids should be received at least 24 hours before the sale begins.
Ask for absentee bid Form : bids@artcurial.com
Artcurial Indian Art Consultant
Hervé Perdriolle : perdriolleherve@orange.fr
mobile : +33 (0)6 87 35 39 17
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