AS AN IMPORTANT ACTOR ENABLING AND SUPPORTING the production of art, the collector holds a key position in facilitating the growth of the art market. In the absence of significant public collections of modern and contemporary art, private collections and galleries in India perform the function of showcasing different genres of art. Can private collections, taken together, lead us to appreciate different scattered histories of art? What do disparate patterns of collecting art reveal about the shifting structures of taste? How do collectors come to terms with their desire to possess works of art? How does the transformation of a private collection into a museum change the level of responsibility of the collector?

In this issue, we have tried to acknowledge, question and appreciate the diverse enthusiasms that go into the making of a private art collection. In their Lead Features, Meera Menezes and Sandhya Bordewekar trace the trajectories of critical collectors from Delhi and Gujarat respectively. Amrita Jhaveri, Czaee Shah, Namita Saraf and Pheroza Godrej participate in a panel discussion in Mumbai about the pressures and pleasures of collecting art as Romain Maitra profiles Rakhi Sarkar in Kolkata and Zasha Colah re-introduces us to Jehangir Nicholson’s collection in Mumbai. Sharmistha Ray profiles Kavas Bharucha’s collection of art on paper as Zehra Jumabhoy speaks of Anurag Khanna’s collection of video art. Dinesh Vazirani, Maithili Parekhand Mortimer Chatterjee share their opinions about changing collectorial practices and positions as Rajiv and Roohi Savara allow Meera Menezes a peek into their collection of modern and pre-modern art. Subodh Gupta reveals how international collectors have contributed to his growth as Krishen Khanna and Bose Krishnamachari share their excitement about collecting art made by their confreres. Quddus Mirza registers his annoyance with myopic art collectors in Pakistan in his Letter as Lee Johnson applauds a show of Nicholas Logsdail’s collection in her International Report. In the Book Review, Tasneem Zakaria Mehta leafs through Elite Collectors Of Modern & Contemporary Indian Art and detects different philosophies of patronage as Anupam Poddar holds forth on Devi – India’s first private museum of contemporary art – in First Person.

We hope you enjoy this issue of ART India. Your support and appreciation have been vital to us. In the issues to come, we promise to bring more in-depth features with a greater variety and range of themes.

Warm regards,
Abhay Sardesai