- How does Bridge Bharat differentiate itself in the market of traditional Indian art, given the rich cultural heritage and diverse artistic expressions across the country?
Over 90% of the art market in India is focussed on contemporary art. We are sitting on a 3000 year old cultural pot – with heritage arts that date back thousands of years. The Indian traditional art market is largely unorganised – with an absence of curation, storytelling and provenance tracking. This is where we come in. We are a platform of Indian arts and antiquitie – enabling both the novice buyer and art connoisseur to learn and acquire art by some of India’s finest end-of-era master artists. We are also, in a sense, category creators for this space- enabling artists position (through education) and track provenance of these artworks – formalising the market – bringing it at par with contemporary art.
- How does Bridge Bharat envision integrating its curated Indian legacy art pieces into commercial spaces, such as hotels, corporate offices, or retail outlets, to enhance their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance?
We work in line with the brand identity of the brands that we partner with. Aesthetically, not every commercial space would want ‘classical’ Indian art – one would want the artworks to blend with their identity as a brand. We work to understand the requirements and vision of the brand owner/ commercial architect/ interior designer and co-create designs that are, although inherently Indian, but in line with their visual identity. This may translate to paintings, murals, installations. For instance, we recently did a mural for a commercial space – a blueprint of their office in the Nathdwara Pichwai style. Ofcourse, some spaces prefer an antique work in all its glory – these are also works we can curate for them.
- Could you elaborate on how Bridge Bharat bridges the gap between novice art enthusiasts and seasoned collectors in the realm of Indian legacy art?
The Indian art market is, albeit young, one of the fastest growing in the world. Many of our buyers are people who have invested in a piece of art for the first or second time – we focus on hand-holding these buyers – making the process less intimidating and more engaging & personalised. These are the buyers that eventually move towards a connoisseur market, a classic consumer movement in luxury. This is, by design, the kind of art we Indians resonate with deeply- these are stories of our history, mythology, music, literature- the stories we grew up with.
- Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations Bridge Bharat has established with commercial real estate developers or interior design firms to incorporate Indian heritage art into their projects, and the impact of such initiatives on promoting Indian cultural identity?
We recently did a mural in Odisha’s Pattachitra style of art for a large Gurgaon based-MNC- KAS Asia. With a detailed digital legacy guide of the artwork- that documented its composition, its origin, the pigments, the artist – the aim was to make the experience more than just a painting – incorporating its life cycle into the viewing experience. For K-Mart – headquartered in Australia – the Indian office wanted to bring in India’s cultural heritage and identity into their space – through an artwork that stood for the ethos of the company – sustainability, people and technology – through an experience that was deeply Indian.
- With exhibitions at prestigious events like India Design 2024 and Magnetic Fields Festival 2023, how does Bridge Bharat strategies its presence in both traditional and contemporary art spheres?
We are primarily focused on Indian traditional and contemporary-traditional arts. This is India’s next big export to the world. We do not believe that Indian legacy arts are ‘outdated’ or do not resonate with consumers today. Infact, where we lack is communication and education. All of these arts beautifully entwine with philosophy, history, mythology, literature, music and even calligraphy. Preserving these arts is preserving and educating people about this entire ecosystem – an ecosystem that has never been more relevant today. Therefore, we do not diversify into contemporary art at all- in fact we partnered with Magnetic Fields festival last year where for the first time, they are a section for Indian crafts in an otherwise ‘contemporary’ space.
- Can you discuss the criteria and methodology employed by Bridge Bharat when selecting artists for commercial design projects, emphasising the importance of maintaining a balance between preserving tradition and fostering innovation to meet the diverse needs of clients?
To give you some context, we took 3 years to discover and curate a collection from our first 15 artists! It is important to look beyond a painting and understand the lifecycle of the artform itself – the colors, the creation, the surrounding living traditions and the artist. Understanding this ‘holistic’ view of the art is when you land on a more wholesome, narrative-led curation. That said, for commercial spaces, we work in line with the brand identity of the brands that we partner with.
Aesthetically, not every commercial space would want ‘classical’ Indian art – one would want the artworks to blend with their identity as a brand. We work to understand the requirements and vision of the brand owner/ commercial architect/ interior designer and co-create designs that are, although inherently Indian, but in line with their visual identity. This may translate to paintings, murals or installations. The first step in working with any client is understanding their visual aesthetic and identity since Indian art is ‘visually’ very diverse across regions. Once all parties involved are on the same page regarding the foundational aesthetic, is when innovation comes in- blending a client’s needs with Indian art.
- Given the angel investments from notable figures like Jasminder Singh Gulati and Vijay Shekhar Sharma, how does Bridge Bharat navigate the intersection of art, business, and investment to ensure sustainable growth?
While raising external capital, it is very important that we partner with the right investors- investors that are in line with our vision as a company. While we believe that Indian aesthetics is the next big export to the world, we are conscious of the fact that these oral testimonies, stories and life cycles of the art need to be documented accurately – this is the softer, more lasting part of the business. With this in mind, we are building a time-capsule of these arts- where we can preserve these stories and techniques – where artists in the future can take inspiration from. All our stakeholders – from our artists, partners, team and investors are in line with this mission.
- As a founder with experience in art investments and private equity, how do you foresee Bridge Bharat shaping the landscape of commercial design by leveraging Indian heritage art as a key element in architectural and interior design projects, both domestically and internationally?
A large number of commercial architects and designers have begun to embrace local design, materials and aesthetics in their projects. We as Bridge Bharat reject the norm that Indian art only fits in Indian spaces; Indian art can truly go global only if one is able to blend them with interiors across the world. This gives birth to a very interesting design language – blending the old and the new – the Indian and the global. In commercial design, often, works need to be designed in line with the company ethos, aesthetic and visual language – all of which make each commission unique to that commercial space. We have been able to achieve this balance beautifully by co-creating with both the traditional master artists and contemporary artists – giving life to design that combines different geographies and eras of India and the world.
- Could you share some insights into how Bridge Bharat plans to preserve and promote lesser-known art forms and regional artistic traditions within its curated collection?
Lesser known art forms, such as Bengal’s Sholapith or the Chamba Rumaal require a lot more exposure than, say a Pichwai which is now beginning to be widely requested given the platform it has received over the last decade. An art, no matter how lesser known, will find its audience if promoted well. Many of these lesser known art forms are documented in academia – which forms our base of secondary research as well. Once we exhaust the information available online, primary research on the ground is conducted extensively by our team – the current scenario of the life of the art, the possibility of interventions and the aesthetic research on the demand side. It is often said – one is drawn to art that they see over and over again. Our mission is to make sure that these arts are documented and exposed to a relevant audience repeatedly to preserve, protect and give them a second life.
- What are Bridge Bharat’s long-term objectives for enhancing appreciation of Indian legacy art within the global commercial design community, and how does the organisation plan to measure its success in achieving these goals?
Within the global design community – our objective is to make Indian art blend with cultures around the world – giving it a space in modern and contemporary spaces as much as in classical spaces. Going back to the first principles – it is important to understand the old to give life to new. Similarly, it is vital to understand the symbolism, techniques and lifecycle of legacy art to be able to visualize it in spaces today – this may be its original form or a form taken on by younger artists. We envision taking Indian aesthetics to the world – one story, one artform, one gem at a time.