Half Arted

Space-Time Continuum

This just in: time travel possible for one month at Lakeeren, a contemporary gallery in Colaba where you’ll find art (and price tags) from ten years ago. Past perfect!

Stroke of Luck

At “1001 Works 25 Rupees Upwards” , art flea market conceived by owner and curator Arshiya Lokhandwala, you can rummage through an engaging collection of photographs, etchings, paintings, eggshells and more, piled in corners, propped against desks and tacked onto the wall. This is a place where you’ll find signed serigraphs by MF Hussain (Rs 90,000 for a set of eight) scattered over the floor, and wall beams papered with photographs of an artist meditating in the midst of chaotic streets (Rs 5,000 each).

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bpb loves: Anuj Poddar’s miniseries centering around a mirchi (Rs 1,800), Ashim Purkayastha’s 3D cut-outs from a past show titled Cryptograms, a series of small, super-fine etchings by Kanga that capture perfectly the slender elegance and grace of youth (Rs 2,000).

Blank Canvas

For Arshiya, this month-long sale not only makes art more accessible to people, it is also a way for her to move forward with a blank slate. “Lakeeren used to be located in Vile Parle until 2003, after which I went to Cornell to get my PHD in art history and returned with a brand new Lakeeren in Colaba last December.”

Curator Picks

Not sure where to start? We weren’t either. That’s why we got Arshiya to pick out her top five bargains:

Untitled series of hand gestures by Sushil Mangaonkar (Rs 15,000 each): Rendered in sweeping strokes and bloody red pigment, this series of three will draw your eye as soon as you enter the gallery. And if you believe art should come with a sense of humour, ask for the fourth, censored piece (yes, it’s exactly what you think it is).

Chatterbox by Amod Damle (Rs 25): Funky matchboxes for Rs 25 each. And you thought you’d never make an impulse buy at an art gallery!

Anjum Singh’s drawer (Rs 15,000): This poignantly sweet pink and yellow drawer conceals a treasure trove of memories – prints and postcards by the artist. And at Rs 15,000, bedside change!

Sharmila Samant’s Areperenius (Rs 10,000): Apparently part of an exhibit meant to symbolise permanence, this sculpture is made from the most transient of objects – eggshell holders. Apart from its symbolic value, the three-dimensional piece is super fun to play with; it looks different from all angles and can be re-imagined as countless things, from a gas mask to a fortress.

Debraj Goswami’s morning art (Rs 14,000): Cool, funny paintings of toothpaste tubes and other every day objects by an artist who has shown at major galleries in the city. Colourful and cheeky, these are guaranteed to brighten up the bleariest mornings.

Getting there: Lakeenren, 2nd floor, Grant's Building, opposite Basilico, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba, call 65224179 or visit www.lakeerengallery.com, on until June 30.