Working Internationally - Hena Kapadia
My practice, exists primarily through TARQ – a contemporary art gallery in Mumbai. The programme of the gallery – through the practice of the individual artists I work with on a long-term basis – is focused on a range of issues, including those concerning land and location, preservation and the archive, and ultimately ideas of a shared experience across time and space.
My practice would immediately cease to exist, if the artists that we engage with at TARQ stopped creating works, and therefore, in my practice as a gallerist, I work less for myself, and more for the artists. I endeavour to ensure that the artists that I work with are provided adequate representation in appropriate spaces. The only way to ensure this is by constantly working to find the practices of others that align with those of our artists – whether they are engaged with the art world already, or not. We work hard to make certain that the works of our artists reach the broadest possible audience. Apart from our core programming of exhibitions, we have a robust community engagement programme, spanning from workshops and film-screenings to interactions with artists and collectors.
The primary site for my activities is TARQ itself, located in a heritage Art Deco building in Mumbai (Mumbai has a significant number of Art Deco buildings – second in number only to Miami). The physical space is a warm, welcoming one, a space that encourages younger, less familiar collectors to feel at ease. In addition to our regular programming, doing exhibitions including collaborations with the Swiss Cottage Library, London, as well as Jaipur Photo, Jaipur has allowed us to broaden not only the base of the audience we are able to reach out to, but also the exposure that our artists get - geographically. Each exchange allows us not only to reach new people, but also exposes the team to new challenges and new spaces and increases our understanding of the artists we work with. Showing at non-fair and non-museum venues like the Swiss Cottage Library, has enabled me to extend my endeavour to reach culturally engaged individuals, who are not already deeply engaged with an existing art-world narrative.
My practice would immediately cease to exist, if the artists that we engage with at TARQ stopped creating works, and therefore, in my practice as a gallerist, I work less for myself, and more for the artists. I endeavour to ensure that the artists that I work with are provided adequate representation in appropriate spaces. The only way to ensure this is by constantly working to find the practices of others that align with those of our artists – whether they are engaged with the art world already, or not. We work hard to make certain that the works of our artists reach the broadest possible audience. Apart from our core programming of exhibitions, we have a robust community engagement programme, spanning from workshops and film-screenings to interactions with artists and collectors.
The primary site for my activities is TARQ itself, located in a heritage Art Deco building in Mumbai (Mumbai has a significant number of Art Deco buildings – second in number only to Miami). The physical space is a warm, welcoming one, a space that encourages younger, less familiar collectors to feel at ease. In addition to our regular programming, doing exhibitions including collaborations with the Swiss Cottage Library, London, as well as Jaipur Photo, Jaipur has allowed us to broaden not only the base of the audience we are able to reach out to, but also the exposure that our artists get - geographically. Each exchange allows us not only to reach new people, but also exposes the team to new challenges and new spaces and increases our understanding of the artists we work with. Showing at non-fair and non-museum venues like the Swiss Cottage Library, has enabled me to extend my endeavour to reach culturally engaged individuals, who are not already deeply engaged with an existing art-world narrative.
