Art marketing in Kerala took a significant step forward with the opening of a pioneering Contemporary Art Fair under the aegis of the South Indian Bank Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF).
The exhibition-cum-sale featuring more than 300 works by over 200 artists is a first-of-its-kind attempt to address the lack of marketing opportunities for Kerala artists. In keeping with mandate, the fair was inaugurated at Kanakakkunnu Palace, Thiruvananthapuram by Mr. Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala with the sale of two paintings: one of which was received by Mr. N J Reddy, DGM, and Mr. G. Nandakumar, AGM, on behalf of South Indian Bank, and the second by Mr. E M Najeeb, President of the Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industries.
Mr. A P Anil Kumar, Minister for Tourism; renowned sculptor Mr. Kanayi Kunhiraman, Chairman of the Grand Kerala Contemporary Art Fair; Mr. U V Jose, GKSF Director; Mr. V Vijayan, GKSF State Coordinator and Art Fair Convenor Mr. K P Thomas were among the dignitaries present.
The Lalit Kala Academy has submitted nearly half of the 300 selected works which comprise sculptures and paintings done in various media including oil, acrylic, ink, watercolours and pastels. The Art Fair will be open from 11.00 am to 9.00 pm on all days until January 26.
Besides well-known names such as Prof Kattoor Narayana Pillai, Mr. Varghese Punalur, Mr. Shibu Natesan, Mr. Pradeep Puthur, Mr. Babu Namboodiri, Mr. Karakkamandapam Vijayakumar and Mrs. Savithri Rajeevan, the fair will feature works of a number of promising and up-and-coming artists.
“We have had wonderful response to this initiative from the artists,” said Mr. Kanayi Kunhiraman who is spearheading the project. “All participants have voluntarily cut down the price of their paintings to make them affordable to the common man” , he added
The fair’s objective, he said, is to address the unfortunate mismatch in the fact that despite producing painters and sculptors of renown whose works are sold through global auction centres and cherished by collectors worldwide, Kerala is seldom spoken of as an art market or marketing centre. Besides missing out on the prestige such a status would bestow, the state has also had to witness the migration of some of its finest talents to more profitable locations outside and watch less privileged artists struggle to get recognition and rewards.
“Paintings are not just to be seen, but bought. We would like visitors who come here to return home with one. That will be their greatest gesture of support for art and artists in Kerala,” Mr. Kanayi added.
For the first time in Kerala, art will be promoted as a collectible, saleable, marketable commodity and a valuable long-term investment. Its tie-up with the ongoing Grand Kerala Shopping Festival is, therefore, a natural pairing. All buyers of artworks will also be eligible for GKSF prize coupons.
The experience of seeing such a huge collection of quality art in one place is expected to attract a number of visitors to the fair. However, the organisers are specifically targeting serious buyers such as corporate firms, hotels, resorts, private art collectors and investors, and galleries within and outside Kerala.
The Grand Kerala Contemporary Art Fair will be a key step forward in attempts to encourage big artists who have moved out from Kerala to return and set up their studios and creative workspaces here; in addition to creating a business platform for home-grown artists who have not had the opportunity to market their creations through art centres in big cities in India and abroad.
