COVER STORY
COLLECTOR. CONNOISSEUR. ARTIST. BRUSHSTROKES OF A FINER LIFE
Vishal Misra with one of his paintings in the Ganesha series.
By SHAGORIKA EASWAR
Every Diwali, my mother would set up the puja with little clay figurines of Lakshmi and Ganesha. Many of us continue that tradition in Canada, while others recall their parents or grandparents setting up elaborate arrangements for the festival of lights.
But there’s another way to bring the bestower of good fortune and the remover of obstacles home.
Most of us are familiar with the iconic paintings of the great Indian masters – the jewel-like colours of Raja Ravi Varma or the abstracts of MF Hussain – having seen them in museums or in glossy magazine spreads.
Toronto-based artist Vishal Misra has news for those of us who believe we can only enjoy these at museums or art galleries, original art being way, way out of our league.
Misra is a figurative abstract artist who has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the globe and his work has been acquired by various private and corporate collections in Asia, Europe and North America.
He works predominantly in acrylics on large canvases, and his use of bold colours harmonizes with the emotional resonance of his composition. He was previously on the Board of Directors of the Mississauga Arts Council.
He also boasts an enviable and vast collection of the works of Indian masters dating back from early 1900s. Select works depictive of the masters’ unique styles, themes and / or their most iconic works are part of his collection. These include:
• Work by Gaganendranath Tagore from the 1911-1921 period, the Chaitanya and Bichitra series, wherein he was painting night scenes with black ink (SUMI-E) in Japanese brush paintings and using gold paper.
• Work by the romantic Indian modern artist Hemendranath Mazumdar from the 1930s. Mazumdar largely painted for the Maharajas of Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Patiala and many others. The work is part of his theme of a bathing beauty.
• Works by the eminent modern artist Jamini Roy from the 1950s. Subjects include depictions of mother and child, Madonna and Christ, Baul singers, Durga and a playful Krishna. The most unique item, though, is a hand-painted cash box that was used by Jamini Roy himself. All works were acquired from the Roy family.
• A large (60x48 inches) charcoal drawing of Lord Ganesha by MF Hussain.
As an artist himself and with his keen eye for collectible art, Misra provides an overview of the arts scene in the diaspora – what people are collecting, what is trending, the kind of monetary investment required and more.
“I had strategically begun collecting during the early 2000s by acquiring limited edition prints by Indian modern masters such as Jamini Roy, MF Hussain, Jogen Chowdhury and Thota Vaikuntam. This was a reasonable and an affordable option for me. I could acquire the works of Indian masters, prints prepared under their personal supervision and inputs, with their impression and signatures on the works.
“What began as a limited choice of acquiring original artworks became a (balanced!) obsession to acquire more and more over time. Over a short period of a decade I had collected over 150 artworks by Indian modern and contemporary masters. With the advent of COVID my interactions with art patrons, visits to galleries, museums and art venues had completely eroded and this left a huge void in my life. Since I couldn’t visit these venues and enjoy the arts, I began to acquire artworks and welcome them into my own studio space. I began to enjoy the ability to surround myself with beautiful artworks that I liked. The beauty of art is that the more you see, the more you fall in love with it.
The gallery with Vishal Misra’s vast collection incorporates seating to soak in the beauty. More info at vishalmisra.com.
“This has been a significant investment, in both time and monetary value as collecting requires research and finding the right artwork to acquire and add to the existing body of work. Which artwork to add? Will it add more meaning? Make the grouping impactful? These were some of considerations that I had to keep at the back of my mind and consider while building my collection. Over the recent decades, art has developed as an alternate asset class for investing and we saw a great recognition and appreciation of Indian artworks. Typically, growth in value has been above 20-30 per cent annual growth and appreciation in the value of art.”
Taking care of art is an art in itself and new collectors might find it a tad intimidating.
Misra demystifies the process.
“There are many tutorials and workshop sessions available online or at art galleries on the upkeep and care of artworks. Specifically, the variation in quality of air and humidity (between India and Canada) impacts the works made with larger natural elements like traditional paints, wood and some alloys. Hence the collector has to bear this in mind while acquiring works and maintaining these over a period of time. Also, proper care has to be maintained about not exposing the artworks to direct sunlight as typically, dated Indian artworks are not varnished for protection.”
Misra describes himself as self-taught. While many artists go to OCAD or JJ School of Arts, etc., or learn from masters, aren’t many artists self-taught? Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy, MF Hussain and Bhupen Khakar are just a few of the renowned self-taught Indian artists.
“I began drawing and painting when I was just a child – I don’t have any formal training or education in arts – and fell in love with the art practice of the Indian modern master MF Hussain. The ease with which he could conjure up an image on a blank canvas was always so fascinating to me. I had an immense appetite for learning about Indian art history, the artists’ story and fully immersing myself in their works. I think this was largely a function of being a visual artist myself. I was trying to learn and imbibe the process adopted by the Masters into my own works as well.
“A formal art education provides the foundation to become aware and gain knowledge of various styles, practices, mediums of the past,” says Misra. “But an artist eventually develops their own language of expression over time. An academic background does provide many advantages wherein you can speak (knowledgeably) about different practices and processes. However it’s what the artist develops as their own style which sets them apart from others.
“I was attracted to art and paintings ever since I was a child. My father used to paint as a hobby and there were some inspirational art works by Jamini Roy on display on the walls at home which might have played a part in developing my interest in arts. The excellent marks I got at school for drawing and painting encouraged me to pursue my passion. While in school some of my artworks were selected for national group exhibits in the US and Japan. Seeing this appreciation I continued to draw and paint in college as well, and my illustrations were featured in newspapers and publications.”
Telangana Man and Telangana Woman by contemporary Indian master Thota Vaikuntam are part of Vishal Misra’s collection.
His parents were supportive, but saw art as a hobby, not a career option.
“While my parents appreciated my creativity, their emphasis was always on getting a good education. My siblings and peers were all studying sciences / engineering. In fact I was the first one in the family to pursue a career in commerce. Guess I was always regarded as the odd one out in the family for this! But over the years I built a successful career in assurance and risk management, while continuing to draw and paint regularly.
“While focusing on my education and career as a Chartered Accountant, I had to take a break from art and it was only when I came to Canada, that I was able to immerse myself in the world of art again.
“I used to doodle on the TTC subway train on my way to and back from work. On one such fateful trip a passenger who was disembarking at the King subway station asked me to give her the doodle that I had just finished making. I declined. But then she turned to say, ‘I’ll give you 50 bucks for it’. Instinctively the accountant in me said ‘Sure!’. It was then I realized that there is a lot of appreciation and recognition to be had in the field of arts here (in Toronto) and so I began to draw and paint regularly.
“As a figurative abstract artist, I start with a realistic form and then distort or take away elements of the subject to add abstractions into the painting. I also utilize textures and colours to add depth and perspective to the paintings, and add some character too. I have had my foundation years in India and hence I typically create artworks based on Indian themes and subjects. Ganesha, Krishna and Shiva continue to remain my favourite subjects to paint. Majority of the time I now create custom artworks that are commissioned by patrons. I’ve held many exhibitions in Canada, the US, Europe, UAE and India.”
Is there a difference in response to his art and to art in general between India and the West? In terms of what people are looking for or how much they want to pay for a particular painting?
“There are very obvious differences in the preferred subjects and styles of artwork in different parts of the world. Form is a key part of Indian culture and hence figurative art is very popular in India, but also there is tremendous admiration to philosophies and hence abstract works by famous Indian Masters such as SH Raza, Ganesh Haloi, V Gaitonde, Ram Kumar, J Swaminathan and others are also in popular demand. In Canada, landscape art and abstractions are very much preferred. The US is a much bigger and diverse market and there is demand for all forms of art including figurative, abstractions or experimental works.
It can be challenging to make a living as an artist. Marketing and participating in exhibitions and fairs are important aspects of showcasing one’s work. Both are not easy or economical these days.
Misra’s full-time job helps support his art practice and he makes time to travel and participate in shows across the globe. Since he himself does not have a formal education in art, he never felt motivated to teach art, he says, but he does invite friends and acquaintances to visit the studio and paint alongside with him.
“It’s more casual and fun in this manner! I also host wine and cheese evenings every few months at my downtown Toronto studio where I invite patrons and art lovers to visit and enjoy my paintings and also the artworks in my collection.”
There are all-time greats and then there are those that are trending and popular currently.
“The Indian art scene is not as mature (developed) as the western art world. There is yet a lot of appreciation to be gained in the recognition and valuations of Indian artworks. Works by Indian masters are always in high demand, as these are unique, rare and path-breaking in various practices. Jamini Roy’s works are always a favourite as he broke away from the western style of paintings to create his own language of expression which was rooted in Indian traditions and iconography. Works of Tagore, Hemendranath Mazumdar are rare, less in circulation and hence sought after by collectors. Modern and contemporary masters’ works are also in demand and regularly featured in the auction scene. These include works by popular artists such as M F Hussain, S H Raza, T Vaikuntam, Rabin Mondal, Lalu Prasad Shaw and Sunil Das.”
Many of us are conflicted about what to do with cherished jewellery (some of it family heirlooms) because the next generation is not interested in that style or doesn’t wear yellow gold, etc. Misra harbours no such concerns about the future of his cherished collection.
“There is yet a lot of appreciation to be gained in the recognition and valuations of Indian artworks.”
Asked about his long-term plans, Misra says, “Over the years I have collected artworks by most of the renowned Indian masters and contemporary artists, reflecting their styles, subjects and themes. I immensely enjoy these artworks and surround myself with these beautiful creations in my art studio which always make me feel happy. I hope to be able to provide a similar space and experience to Indian art lovers to visit and immerse themselves in the beauty of these artworks too.”