Bridging the gap between Indian contemporary art and Chennai

The gallery at Alliance Francaise of Madras is practically unrecognisable today; the white cube has been transformed with deep red and black walls and a faux flooring to mimic art collector and entrepreneur Jaiveer Johal’s home. Here, you can sit on a 200 kilogram concrete bench made by artist Atul Dodiya in remembrance of pioneer Indian contemporary artist Bhupen Khakar, and gaze upon another one of the latter’s almost transparent and fluid, yet colourful work from across the wall. The display also marks the debut show of Chennai-based Avtar Foundation for the Arts founded by Jaiveer which attempts to bring fine Indian contemporary art to Chennai, and take contemporary art from here to other parts of the country. If you want to look at great modern and contemporary art, you would either have to know a collector or leave the city,” says Jaiveer. It’s very hard to pick your babies.” Avtar Foundation’s next major show is an invited project for the Chennai Photo Biennale that brings Manisha Gera Baswani’s Artist Through The Lens series that documents many Indian contemporary artists in their workspace that opens on January 17 at Raw Mango.