Podcast
Episode 4: Who is to blame?
We cannot blame young students or unemployed artists for creating the fake art. They do not have many options than doing this. The greed, illiteracy of art and aesthetics of the rich interior designers, architects, individual curators, art dealers and framers is to blame. They encourage such activities, exploit these students, cheat the artists and harm Indian art and culture at a larger scale. These people only seek their interest. They are least interested about the artist.
When we talk about the masters’ copy, the art dealers and the intermediaries usually do this. When we talk of the mid segment buyers – it is seen that the interiors/architects encourage such illegal activities.
I have heard about and seen architects who would then blame their ‘ignorant about art’ clients that it the client’s demand that they created an illegal copy of the artist’s work – whereby the client who will demand of filling up wall with colours is merely interested in playing within budget and is not considerate about the artist. If he might have been so interested in getting the artist, the client would have preferred the authentic signed editions or an original painting.
Such excuses are laughable but the actions are not. However, what they do not realise is such ignorant attitude, fake works and illegal activities will harm the Indian art ecosystem in the coming years.
Photos and Text © Chaitya Dhanvi Shah