Her passion for art led Bindu P.V. to quit the IT industry and start an art gallery on her terrace

Bindu P.V. is an artist. But, that’s not how she started.

Her whole family was into the IT industry and she too mindlessly followed that trail till she realised that she wanted to do something different.

Her passion for the canvas, oils and paints led her to take up a crash course in painting. She started with three traditional arts forms — Mysore paintings, Tanjore paintings and traditional mural art from Kerala.

“Once I started with the traditional arts I met a girl who was into abstract paintings. I realised that in traditional art you tend to copy a set pattern, even when it comes to designs and themes. Everyone keeps doing the same thing. With her I learnt to explore more about abstract art,” says Bindu, who then adds that she went on to complete her MFA.

“I learnt that I work better with single or double tones. I seem to have a difficulty with more colours. Though I have quit the IT industry, it does not seem to leave me as most of my themes are IT-related,” she laughs and adds that it was during this time that she came in contact with many other artists.

“One common thing that I found was that most of them struggled for gallery space, or to sell their art. I also met a physically challenged girl, struggling to sell her works. I tried to help her and realised how difficult it was to sell her works, especially when one can not afford either to exhibit in a gallery or even have access to social networking sites. Then we both tried to sell her work at Chitra Sante and found that art works are sold for a meagre Rs. 100. That was shocking and heartbreaking to see as some artists work anywhere from three hours to a month on each work. This struggle is what triggered off the birth of my art gallery — White Sanctum Art Gallery in Dodda Anekundi.”

She has built this gallery on the terrace of her home with ample space for art shows and to conduct workshops.

“It’s a platform to help popularise art by conducting workshops and introducing the common man to various kinds of arts, and to host exhibitions of artists who have absolutely no backing.”

The gallery offers a 1,200 sq. ft. area of exhibition space. “It’s a very simple gallery, which aims to provide an equal platform for any artist. The paintings here are priced at Rs. 4,000 and go up to over a lakh. We have works of budding artists and Academy Award winners too.”

Right from oil paintings to water colours, Bindu promises you’ll get something that will suit your style and budget.

“The art is priced like this so that even the middle class can afford it.” White Sanctum Art gallery was inaugurated on January 18.

“We have enquiries for workshops, especially from people from working in the IT sector. So we plan to start with water-colour workshops and then take one step at a time.”

Bindu, who has had several solo shows in Baroda, Delhi, and Kerala, now plans to exhibit her works here too.

She has also done a thesis on Ravi Varma’s life and an analysis on his work and its effect on social change, specially in Kerala.

“His works have brought a silent change in society — be it in the caste system, or in education. His works speak volumes about changes one should expect in a society. Like he would decpict a boy reading a newspaper and so spread the idea of literacy in Kerala. Artists were not allowed to sign their works and he started signing his works. My thesis focussed on the effect of his works on the minds of ordinary people,” she adds.

She talks of upsetting it is, the way society still look at artists.

“Films depict them as drug addicts or dressed shabbily. Stop treating artists as good-for-nothing kind of people. We are not prodigals who have lost our way. We too have opportunities now with animation and art shows and can generate revenue and support ourselves through our works. Artists are ordinary people who just think extraordinarily.”

White Sanctum currently has a group show, which will be on till February 15 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

For details call 65687209 or email bindu.vee@gmail.com

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review> Art / by Shilpa Sebastian R / January 28th, 2015