Launched a month ago by Veeral Reddy and Tanushree Gupta, it is an attempt to create more space in different forms of space art.
Art binds these two; A fact that they found out soon after they met. When Hyderabad-based producer Veeral Reddy first met jewelery designer Tanushree Gupta at her home on October 22, all she knew was that their families knew each other. While Veeral is the son of artist-parents Rohini and Srinivas Reddy, Tanushree is the daughter of art collector Kishan Agarwal. Finding out that they shared a strong common artistic vision, just a week later the two launched Gallery 93 in Radha Krishna Nagar, Attapur, a new art space – named after the year of his birth.
The gallery is surrounded by a sea of peace on the ground floor of Viral’s two-storey house in the residential colony where he lives with his family. Since Tanushree also lives in the same colony, it has become easier to cooperate.
“It is an attempt to create more space for not only art but its other forms such as jewellery, furniture and textiles. The intention is to make it a lively venue with a library and coffee shop to attract people of different tastes. Art will be cheap, but will not lose its beauty, ”says the couple.
Spread over 1000 square feet, the gallery space was earlier a working studio for Viral’s parents. “My father had a dream to have a space of his own to display his creations and I am glad that that wish came true,” he says. A nine-feet fiberglass statue of Arudra (the original in bronze is in Visakhapatnam) made by Veeral’s father, majestic in the hall. Adorning the walls and tables are Tanjore paintings of various sizes (large canvases from 3 inches to 5×5 feet) priced from ₹ 1100 upwards.
An engineering graduate, Veeral worked in Australia before returning to Hyderabad to start his own firm, Suveera, in Balanagar. She loves to design and create new designs. “Being a master at my parents’ house, I did not want to go to a university to study art. I was interested in learning machinery so that I could mix both the fields (art and engineering) to create innovative sculptures, perhaps kinetic figures that change according to one’s mood,” he says, Viral creates innovative designs for clients and his firm, which manufactures precision engineering components, recently created such components for the installation of artist Komari Ranganath.
The art collection at Tanushree’s maternal home has been a family legacy. “My grandfather has been an art collector and my father has been collecting for almost 50 years,” she says. The Tanjore art work received from various artists in the gallery is from this collection. Tanushree designs ethnic jewelery and displays pieces at her store, Amravati Treasure of Jewels. Although her husband who is in law and in-laws is not into the arts, they support her endeavor.
Tanushree feels that the location of the gallery in a comfortable residential neighborhood enhances the experience of enjoying art. “It is common practice to have galleries in Delhi and Mumbai. It offers a serene feel and the location is not intimidating either. The idea is to cater to different sections of the society so that everyone can enjoy art in their life,” she says.
With the art business being risky, are these newcomers afraid of failure? Tanushree replied, “We spoke to our respective spouses and they encouraged us to follow our dreams. We know we are on the right track.” Says Viral, “Our parents had a dream to have a gallery but they are not involved; it is us who are trying to make our mark.”
They plan to expand the gallery to display custom-made furniture, fine arts and customized bronze sculptures and ethnic jewellery.
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