Kerala - Kochi
An online magazine on the world of art
An electronic magazine exclusively on art? That too, without an attempt at trading? The idea will never have risen even a couple of years ago.
But when Anoop Kamath and Johny M.L. teamed up last December to think about India's first e-zine (electronic magazine) on art, the scene seems to have been just ripe for such an attempt.
Johny, who hails from Kerala, has been in New Delhi after completing a course in creative curating and art management from Goldsmiths college, University of London.
"For many years, there had been no right slot where my training in curatorial practice could be put to any use," Johny says.
So, the initial idea when he and Mr. Kamath, a designer and artist with roots in Kerala, had teamed up was to start a magazine in print on Indian contemporary art. But the cost factor forced them to change the medium to virtual reality.
With experience in working on portals, Johny decided to go ahead with the idea of the electronic magazine. Thus was born www.mattersofart.com.
The website became fully operational in February 2006. And, on May 25, it announced its presence with Real-2006, a group exhibition involving 41 artists at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
"In fact, this is not our personal venture, but a common platform of a group of artists working all over India," says Johny, who edits the magazine. Mr. Kamath is the chief executive officer.
"We have received a tremendous response and great support from artists living and working in different parts of India," Johny says.
Many other websites deal with art, but most of them belong to galleries, promoting their shows and works.
Some others focus on trading. mattersofart.com, with its semi-academic nature, targets not only buyers but also critics, students and the artists themselves.
The site offers regular columns, such as artist of the month, and interviews. These focus on providing information about the artists.
Help for students
Artists and students of art and art history in places other than metros find the site more useful.
"We have a big back-up from Malayalis. As everybody knows, the art scene is ruled by Malayalis," Johny says.
The site is not part of any particular group, he says, but it puts forward a progressive aesthetics with the wholehearted support of the artists.
"We aim at intervening qualitatively in the art scene, to add quality to the scene.
Even the show is being organised with that aim. We do not plan to organise too many shows — only one or two a year. That too, very carefully done," he adds.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu - May 30, 2006)
An online magazine on the world of art
An electronic magazine exclusively on art? That too, without an attempt at trading? The idea will never have risen even a couple of years ago.
But when Anoop Kamath and Johny M.L. teamed up last December to think about India's first e-zine (electronic magazine) on art, the scene seems to have been just ripe for such an attempt.
Johny, who hails from Kerala, has been in New Delhi after completing a course in creative curating and art management from Goldsmiths college, University of London.
"For many years, there had been no right slot where my training in curatorial practice could be put to any use," Johny says.
So, the initial idea when he and Mr. Kamath, a designer and artist with roots in Kerala, had teamed up was to start a magazine in print on Indian contemporary art. But the cost factor forced them to change the medium to virtual reality.
With experience in working on portals, Johny decided to go ahead with the idea of the electronic magazine. Thus was born www.mattersofart.com.
The website became fully operational in February 2006. And, on May 25, it announced its presence with Real-2006, a group exhibition involving 41 artists at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
"In fact, this is not our personal venture, but a common platform of a group of artists working all over India," says Johny, who edits the magazine. Mr. Kamath is the chief executive officer.
"We have received a tremendous response and great support from artists living and working in different parts of India," Johny says.
Many other websites deal with art, but most of them belong to galleries, promoting their shows and works.
Some others focus on trading. mattersofart.com, with its semi-academic nature, targets not only buyers but also critics, students and the artists themselves.
The site offers regular columns, such as artist of the month, and interviews. These focus on providing information about the artists.
Help for students
Artists and students of art and art history in places other than metros find the site more useful.
"We have a big back-up from Malayalis. As everybody knows, the art scene is ruled by Malayalis," Johny says.
The site is not part of any particular group, he says, but it puts forward a progressive aesthetics with the wholehearted support of the artists.
"We aim at intervening qualitatively in the art scene, to add quality to the scene.
Even the show is being organised with that aim. We do not plan to organise too many shows — only one or two a year. That too, very carefully done," he adds.
Renu Ramanath
(The Hindu - May 30, 2006)
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