brunch viewing
On Bond Street with Saffronart’s summer auction
Dinesh Vazirani, CEO and co-founder of Saffronart, the first
online resource for modern and contemporary Indian art,
jewellery, and collectibles, hosted a viewing of the annual
Summer Online Auction at his plush gallery on Bond Street. The
Summer Online Auction is one of the three major Indian art auction
events to take place in London, which include different previews
and viewings of the works that will go into the sale.
On display were a selection of Modern and Contemporary paintings,
including an SH Raza, FN Souza, Jehangir Sabavala, and a 1960s Husain. This was followed by a sit-down
dinner at London’s hip Aurelia restaurant, where guests were served mouth-watering, melty, oozy truffle pizza
and succulent lamb cutlets, amongst many other delicious starters, main courses, and desserts.
IN CONVERSATION WITH DINESH VAZIRANI
HOW DID YOUR JOURNEY WITH SAFFRONART BEGIN? When my wife Minal and I
moved back to India from the US, we were interested in acquiring Indian art. However, in the mid-90s,
there were just a handful of galleries selling Indian art globally, with little public information
available on artists, and no transparency about
prices. Saffronart filled this
vacuum, and allowed us to indulge in our
passion for art. Over the years, through
a market boom and a downturn, both
Minal and I have learnt a great deal
about growing an international art business,
besides growing enormously as individuals. We have also had the privilege of interacting with some of the most
talented people in the world, be they artists, gallerists, or collectors. WHAT IS THE PROFILE OF YOUR ONLINE
CLIENTS? The profile of buyers includes high net-worth individuals—successful entrepreneurs, heads of
publicly-listed companies, CEOs, and celebrities. We also
have a large group of young individuals, who make
their first foray into art buying with Saffronart.
Given that we are online, many young people find the
auction mechanism easy to use, and enjoy the ease
of the Internet, and the transparency that it provides.
THE MOST ECCENTRIC ARTIST THAT YOU
HAVE MET? FN Souza, because he always had
a different point of view to the norm, and led his
life by his own rules. YOUR OWN BIGGEST PAINTING EXTRAVAGANCE? When I was a student, I purchased my first
Souza for much more than I could afford. Luckily, prices then weren’t anything like they are today! DOS AND DON’TS
OF BIDDING AT AN ONLINE AUCTION? Let me begin with a Don’t:
Don’t forget to watch the countdown clock that tells you
how much time you have left to bid before the sale ends. Do
keep bidding till you get what you want! Also, enjoy the
seamless process of the Internet. ONE PIECE OF ART THAT
HAD THE MOST PROFOUND EFFECT ON
YOU? It would have to be The
Kiss by Gustav Klint, a
magical painting that transports you into a different world, and captures a single
moment with passion and beauty. YOUR DREAM CLIENT WOULD
BE? Someone who shares my passion for collecting art. YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL
SALE? Our most successful sale was in December 2006, with a total of just
over US$ 16 million (INR 56 crore approx).