CIMA Art Mela, India’s largest affordable annual fair is back with a larger collection of artworks by over 80 senior and young artists across the country.
To be held over November 24 to November 26, 2023, at CIMA Gallery, this year will be a special treat for art lovers, as a lot of artists have produced mainstream art in small formats.
“Earlier the price range was from between Rs 500 to Rs 25000, but as the demand started increasing and people started asking for slightly bigger works we have extended the upper limit to Rs 2 lakhs in Calcutta and Rs 3 lakhs in Delhi. Because this allows young artists to give medium sized works,” said Rakhi Sarkar, director, CIMA Gallery.
“A lot of artists have also produced mainstream art in small formats so you have canvases and oils and acrylics to choose from,” added Rakhi Sarkar.
The gallery features senior artists like Ramananda Bandopadhyay, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Jogen Chowdhury, Paresh Maiti and more
Started in 2008, Art Mela has become a calendar affair for art lovers in Kolkata and, now, in Delhi and Mumbai as well. The idea was to take art from being just aspirational to accessible. Over the years the mela-style exhibition has expanded to include a variety of artists, mediums and genres. Something that is unthinkable in a mainstream art exhibition. As a result, at Art Mela one can buy a Paresh Maiti, a Jogen Chowdhury, a Lalu Prasad Shaw or a Ramananda Bandyopadhyay off one wall and artworks by young artists off the next, and ethnic art shares space with watercolours and graphic art.
But the common thread through the variety on offer is the guarantee that one is getting authentic, genuine, high quality art at an affordable price.
With a large variety of artists and mediums, Art Mela is a great place for people to learn and form their tastes
“Over the years what we have done is we have systematically tried to improve the quality. Every artwork featured in art mela is curated and is by artists who are national award winners, state award winners, CIMA Award winners and finalists, so they have been screened by the best eyes of India. So what you are getting even at the lowest of prices, which is Rs 2,000, you know that it is qualitatively excellent,” said Rakhi Sarkar.
Which is what makes Art Mela the perfect place for a first time art buyer and art lovers who are just beginning to collect, feels Pratiti Basu Sarkar, the chief administrator of CIMA Gallery. But it is not just the guaranteed quality or price point that makes Art Mela perfect for a first timer or someone who is new to collecting art. “It is a great place for people to learn and form their tastes because there is such a variety of artists and mediums. Because the best way to train your eye is to look at more art,” said Pratiti Basu Sarkar.
It has often been believed that only certain kinds of people can afford to buy art but Art Mela has opened it up and democratised it.
“It is fulfilling because you see touching instances of people feeling pride in their first art purchase, even if all they can afford is something worth Rs 2000,” said Rakhi Sarkar.
Another section of the gallery
The average art buyer at Art Mela has also evolved over the years and focus has shifted from getting senior artists’ works at affordable prices to discovering newer artists whose works appeal to the buyer.
“Art Mela over the years has democratised art in India, cultivated taste, expanded collector base and promoted and sustained intellectual engagement,” said Rakhi Sarkar.
Many of the Art Mela buyers and visitors have been initiated into collecting, which Rakhi Sarkar feels is important for society. “A society bereft of ideas to promote and conserve art is very dangerous. So we want art to go into the public domain. And Art Mela has increased the clientele hugely. Hundreds of people are coming and buying art which we’ve never seen in mainstream exhibitions. This is very heartening and that is why, despite challenges, we keep this going,” added Rakhi Sarkar.
Art Mela gives artists a platform to experiment with styles and languages
Another unique aspect of Art Mela is that it gives artists, especially senior artists, a platform to experiment with styles and languages. So, one can pick up a sketch by a well-known watercolourist or a drawing from a known sculptor. It not only allows the art lover to get to know various facets of an artist they like or admire but it also often leads to new innovations. “When artists are working with a new language, Art Mela gives them a forum to get public opinion on it,” said Pratiti Basu Sarkar.
The collection at Art Mela is the result of a year’s work and would have been impossible without the support of the artists who have worked towards it. “Artists are excited because they know this democratisation will mean more people, more of the general public, would come and see their art. And I think artists want their works to reach out to more people,” said Rakhi Sarkar. “It also gives the artists a way to access the voice of the new generation,” she added.
Art Mela 2023 will be held from November 24-26, 11am to 8pm, at CIMA Gallery (43, Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue, Sunny Towers, 2nd Floor, Kolkata - 700019)