Art is Moving Out of Galleries – But Do Hotels Help Strugglers?

Though hotels are contributing to the Indian art fraternity, young artists are yet to find a place in their property

How well do you know your art?

Let’s try a more feasible question: where do you see most art?

For many years now, hotels, resorts and other beacons of the hospitality industry in the country have been known to be robust supporters of the art fraternity. Most mid to high-end hotel spaces you visit will have an array of artworks on display for anyone who comes visiting.

This is perhaps a necessity today, as the country’s art industry in recent times has been performing poorly.

According to Artery India’s data, 2017 saw a far lower turnover of Rs 12.63 crore (Jan-Sept.) as compared to Rs 32.9 crore and Rs 39.8 crore in 2015 and 2013 respectively.

However, not all artists are delighted with the way hotels pick and choose art –

Hotels do promote artists. But, most of them focus on ones who are already well-established in the industry. This does not help in terms of encouraging young talent.

Shalini Lath, Artist

Dennis S, a Bengaluru-based artist, echoes Lath:

Hotels tend to take a commercial approach. They simply sideline the paintings of newbies even if the quality of work is good.

Their consensus? Hotels do play a huge role in contributing to the Indian art fraternity, but the young and the struggling are yet to find a place.

Taking Art Out of the Gallery

Not everyone paints a gloomy picture though.

Bengaluru-based artist Sunita Patel still remembers the day when her work was displayed at Le Meridian for the first time.

She says her collection of paintings were focused on provoking emotions and managed to strike a chord with a lot of visitors and art lovers. “My paintings are a reflection of my mood. I forget everything around me while I am splashing colours on paper. It is like being transported to a different world altogether,” she said.

Meera Gyanchand, who creates illustrations around gender equality and injustice against women, insisted that her paintings – when displayed at an exhibition by Bengaluru’s Windsor Manor a few years ago – had resonated powerfully with art lovers.

Such gallery displays not only provide a platform to exhibit fine art, but also help artists generate a more or less consistent revenue.

Meera Gyanchand, Artist

How Do You Make Art Accessible to the Masses?

Of late, hotels and resorts across Bengaluru have made it a point to display pieces of art and sculpture as part of their décor.

When asked about providing opportunities for young artists, Nikita Raghuvanshi, the Assistant Marketing Manager Sheraton Grand in Bengaluru, pointed out that the hotel had recently opened an exclusive art café within the property to make art more accessible to the masses.

We’ve featured works of many Indian artists to cater to the creative appetite of people. The paintings are priced anywhere between Rs 2,500 to Rs 75,000.

Nikita Raghuvanshi, Assistant Marketing Manager at Sheraton Grand, Bengaluru

Ritz Carlton, on the other hand, has displayed over 1,000 paintings across the property – most of which symbolise stories of ancient India. The hotel recently organised the series, ‘A Journey Through Art’ curated by the Asian Art House involving the display of contemporary artists like Amit Bhar, Paramesh Paul.

Says Gargi Guha, Director of Public Relations, Ritz Carlton:

Bringing art out of galleries and into hotel spaces helps us reach a wider audience. In turn, it also adds to our guests’ viewing pleasure and enhance their experience of staying here.

The Plight of the Young and the Struggling

Hotels generally have certain specifications when it comes to the kind of art that they want to display. This is one of the main reasons they tend to be choosy about the paintings they exhibit.

Besides, another criterion that is looked into while taking decisions is how well the art can blend with the décor and interiors.

While corporate offices prefer showcasing abstract art, most of the hotels display only decorative pieces in their corridors and rooms. The paintings are either commissioned or bought – depending on the agreement with the artist.

Sunita Patel

Such selection is usually done, according to Guha, “either by the senior management or an external art consultant whom we hire.”

The current art scenario, clearly, is a tricky one. While the hospitality industry is certainly making sure more and more art is, at least, seen by their visitors, the young and the struggling continue to yearn for opportunities.

(We Indians have much to talk about these days. But what would you tell India if you had the chance? Pick up the phone and write or record your Letter To India. Don’t be silent, tell her how you feel. Mail us your letter at [e-mail]. We’ll make sure India gets your message.)