Lavesh Jagasia began collecting works by leading modern and contemporary Indian artists when he was in his twenties. As a young art lover, he not only visited art exhibitions in Mumbai, but he also developed close relationships with the artists by spending time in their studios, watching them work and learning about their inspirations and perspectives.
His passion for art motivated him to give up his career in fashion designing and establish The Serigraph Studio, offering limited edition fine art prints of seminal works by modernist Indian masters. Jagasia, who is now based in Dubai, has recently launched The Fine Art Advisory with the aim of sharing his knowledge and expertise about Indian art with collectors in the region.
In an interview with Weekend Review, he spoke about his plans for promoting modern Indian art.
What is the concept behind The Fine Art Advisory?
I have been collecting the work of modern Indian masters for 28 years. During this period I have spent a lot of time in the studios of artists such as S.H. Raza, Jogen Choudhury, M.F. Hussain, Sakti Burman, and Jehangir Sabavala among others, and I have had the opportunity to have long conversations with them and understand how they think, thus getting a deep insight into their work. Through this advisory service I want to use my knowledge and experience to help individual and corporate clients to build their art portfolios by investing in good artists and quality works at the right prices.
I will showcase works from my private collection and also host exhibitions by leading Indian artists at my Viewing Room in Business Bay. But I do not want this space to be perceived as a gallery. It is meant to be an intimate space where an art lover can come and view high-end Indian art without any pressure of buying; and where I can meet with clients to understand their needs as collectors and investors and provide them with advice on suitable works to acquire. Unlike gallerists, who need to promote their own artists, I will give unbiased, objective advice and rely on my long-term relationships with auction houses, art dealers, galleries and the artists themselves to help my clients buy and sell art and upgrade their collections.
Are you focused on a specific segment?
My focus is on “investment grade” modern and contemporary Indian art by masters, such as Hussain, Raza, Chowdhury, Ram Kumar, Sabavala, K.G. Subramanyam, Sakti Burman, Lalu Prasad Shaw and Manu Parekh. As a collector and consultant, I keep abreast of the demand and market prices for their work by attending auctions and art fairs around the world. And I keep in direct touch with the artists to know what they are currently creating. The services offered by the advisory include, bespoke art portfolio building, authentication and provenance, appraisals and valuation, auction representation, art finance and fiduciary services.
What kind of exhibitions do you plan to host?
My exhibitions will feature works from my collection and works obtained directly from the artists. Our inaugural exhibition offered lovers of Indian art a rare opportunity to view under one roof several works by Hussain, including monumental museum quality pieces and paintings that have never been seen in public before. Our next exhibition, opening on October 11, is “Banaras, Varanasi, Kashi — Mapping a City of Lights” featuring paintings by Manu Parekh.
The septuagenarian artist is well-known for his paintings of the ancient city of Banaras, but stopped working on this subject a few years ago. However, I have persuaded him to create a new series inspired by the city for his first solo show in Dubai. His stunning paintings include monumental works as well as smaller, more affordable pieces for new collectors. Our show catalogues will always provide detailed information about the works regarding provenance and authenticity. And all our shows will feature critically acclaimed artists, whose works appear regularly at auctions.
What are your top tips on investing in art?
Do not buy the first piece you like. View lots of art, do lot of research, talk to various experts, look carefully at the numbers, and beware of fakes. Buy works that you can live with. You can make a good return on your investment only if you buy a quality work by an established artist at the right price and are prepared to hold it for three to five years.
To make appointments for consultation or viewing collections write to tfaa@thefineartadvisory.com
Jyoti Kalsi is an arts enthusiast based in Dubai
