Art, artifice and privatisation: VAG caught in raging row

BENGALURU: The controversy surrounding Venkatappa Art Gallery has raged on over the last few weeks, with tempers flying on both sides. However, the crux of the argument itself has been drowned out by the cacophony the debate has now become.

Where then, does the problem lie? The artist community, which has come together under the VAG Forum, is troubled,   by the lack of transparency in the signing of the MoU. This will mean the handing over of the gallery to art aficionado Abhishek Poddar and his Tasveer Foundation. Poddar will invest a sum of Rs 25 crore to renovate VAG and curate its activities under the banner MAP.

Artists have also raised questions about the fate of the permanent collections, which Poddar says will not be tampered with. They say VAG is an inexpensive, centrally located space for artists across Karnataka to exhibit their works. They argue that an advisory board or a trust, comprising artists should be formed to oversee Venkatappa Gallery, instead of it being handed over to private players.

The word 'privatisation' has been bandied about, with artists fearing that Venkatappa Art Gallery, a publicly-owned space, will now serve the interests of a single person. Argues V. Ravichandar: "They are not privatising VAG."

The Co-Chair of the Karnataka Tourism Vision Group Ravichandar argues that the gallery, despite its special place in artists' hearts, has been allowed to languish.

The MoU signed between Abhishek Poddar of the Tasveer Foundation and the Department of Tourism says that the gallery will be handed over to Poddar on a Five plus Five year basis. The space will remain owned by the government, along with all changes that have

Milind Nayak
We are seeing a curious phenomenon these days. The Government, abdicating its responsibility to sustain and promote art. The artists who have used this space, artists still using this place and they are protesting that they have nowhere to go and VAG was created by sensible responsible people and they would not let go of it. We certainly would feel violated if this democratic space is desecrated by moneybags that are not only bereft of culture and are trying to peddle it now in the name of tourism. We don’t want people to pay a hefty fee for looking at your ancestral collection. We, artists of the state are saying “Don’t step on our toes. We have the right to step on your toes too! Keep off. VAG is ours. The artist community in one voice says “No” to your devious plans to acquire VAG

Pushpamala N.
The process should have been completely transparent. The consultation has to be with the art community, who are specialists in the field and know how things work. The cultural community, apart from SG Vasudev, was not involved in the working of the Tourism Vision Group, so nobody really knew what was going on. This is a fight for the cultural commons, because artists are taxpayers too. The VAG Forum is not interested in addressing Poddar, we will go straight to the CM, because he is responsible to the people. The government is the custodian of public land and cannot gift it away.  We don't oppose MAP - Poddar can have his own building and house his collection, like all major private museums in the country. He is can have his 'international' museum. We even welcome it. But we don't want MAP to occupy VAG. There are no details on the collection to be housed at the gallery, they aren't even up on the MAP website

Why was VAG allowed to go to seed?
The GoK's adoption programme is not a privatisation initiative. The MoU clearly says that it is a five plus five year arrangement and that the premises will not be detached from government ownership. Select artists have been going to town with conspiracy theories of how the Tourism Vision Group plotted this adoption, because Abhishek Poddar was a member in 2013. The KTVG report is available in the public domain and nowhere does it mention an adoption programme under CSR.

Artists coming together to protest is a sign that VAG is close to their hearts. People recall memorable moments from the 80s and 90s. Why then, was it allowed to go to seed over the last decade? Take a trip to VAG and see for yourself the state of the building and its exhibits; the government is putting out a roadmap to fix the place for the next decade. None of the artists leading the protest have exhibited there, apart from S.G. Vasudev.  The artists also claim that VAG belongs to them. It is a public resource that belongs to every Bengalurean. One understands  concerns that VAG might become elitist - safeguards can be put in place to ensure that it remains inclusive. A 'free' and 'for a fee' area can help address this.