Kolam and the Margazhi mornings
Why we show kolam drawings every December, and what the patterns at Puducherry’s doorsteps mean.
Buying your first original painting
How to start a collection without fear: budget, questions to ask and what to look for.
Many people who walk into the gallery tell us they love a painting but do not know if they are allowed to buy art. You are. A first original does not need to cost lakhs, and it does not need to be by a famous name.
Start with a budget you are comfortable with. Small works on paper by younger artists often begin around ₹8,000 to ₹15,000. Many of our collectors began there and still have that first piece on the wall.
Look for a work you keep coming back to. Walk around the gallery, leave, and see which painting you are still thinking about the next day. That is usually the right one. Do not buy for the sofa.
Ask questions. Who is the artist, where did they train, how long did the work take, what else have they made? A good gallery will tell you freely. Ask for a written note of the title, size, medium and date, signed by the gallery. Keep it with your papers.
Finally, ask about the frame and the hanging. A work on paper needs proper glass and a mount; a canvas needs secure hooks and wire. In Puducherry we hang new works for free, and we are always happy to come back and move them later.
