Art auctions have often set the trend for an artist’s price the world over. Indian auctions, since the 90s and early part of 2000, tried to flaunt the barometer of the auctions to determine pricing of art.
Prices were quoted in reverential whispers complete with golden halos, connecting them to some obscure auction or the other, but as the buyers got wise to the glaringly obvious riggings in the auctions by the various stakeholders including gallery owners and artists themselves, this artificial inflation came under the scanner.
It was common knowledge that galleries promoting certain artists would dummy bid to raise the price bar of those particular artists on the auction circuit. Artists on their part would happily give the gallery, art works equivalent to the amount spent in the auction. These works would then be sold at the newly-enhanced pricing. Everyone, literally everyone, of the so-called blue chip, top-notch artists were part of this game. The more their seniority, the more desperate they were to be perceived as the true blue czar of the price wars. It was a win-win situation for all, except the buyer/collector for obvious reasons.
But this was pre-information era. With better information about the art and artists that followed, the buying market wisened up to the fact that not every art work of even the top artist was worthy of across the board pricing. The factors were many before pricing could be determined. International auction houses like Bonham’s, Christie’s etc to some extent have full-fledged research teams and other experts who guide and help identify fakes and decide whether the piece is auction worthy or not.
I recall that in the mid 90s Christie’s was all set to come to India with a big auction with a lot of paintings and memorabilia from the Raj era and early works of the top Indian artists of today. However, they came under a huge shadow, thanks to a lid off by the former director general of the National Museum L.P. Sihare about the alleged nefarious activities of Christie’s in connection with a heist of Roman era gold from Lebanon.
Given this rather shadowy background of auctions and auction houses in the context of the Indian art scene, it is rather brave of Siddharth Tagore, director Gallery Art Konsult to initiate an art auction house Art Bull India.
It is envisaged to “focus on identifying and promoting young talent from all over India, by placing their works in the right collections. After the initial boom and flourish, the auction circuit went back to the masters and moderns leaving the established contemporaries way behind. The first auction is planned for November this year. While I am very optimistic about this venture, I don’t want it to also end at the altar of a few scholars who are pretty rigid in the kind of work they promote. There should be fresh perspectives.
Speaking of diversity, I really wonder if we carry this democracy thing too far. Recently, I read a report about a few Indian artists boycotting an exhibition “Deconstructing India”, the first major art exhibition in Tel Aviv, to show that they don’t support the “illegal racist policies of the Israeli government against the people of Palestine.” At this juncture when relations with Israel have taken a turn for the better and its support to us, post the disintegration of the Soviet Union, so crucial, this is almost petulant and bratty and putting one over and above the national policies and interests. When will Indian artists grow up and not take up stances just for the sake of being fashionable or rebellious?
Alka Raghuvanshi is an art writer, curator and artist