In 2007, with a married daughter and a son away at school, Indian-born Kavita Chellaram decided that it was time to give the arts her full attention. 10 years later, the art sector in Nigeria is recording some remarkable changes, and this woman’s passion has a lot to do with it.
Most developed countries enjoy governments that are involved in the growth and sustenance of its Arts sector. In Nigeria, however, artists and art practitioners struggle independently to get things done as support from the government is almost non-existent.
Aware of this situation, in 2007, Chellaram said to herself ‘‘I’ve gotten my children educated. Now … I can help African art.”
These words, followed by meticulous planning, ushered in the birth of Arthouse Contemporary, an auction house based in Lagos and specialising in modern and contemporary art from West Africa.
“When I began to explore Nigerian art,” Chellaram recalls “it was difficult to access information and artworks. There was very little documentation and no transparency in prices…”
Observing auction houses in India and how they had created an infrastructure for the market to develop and sustain itself, Chellaram decided to adopt the same model for Nigeria.
Arthouse Contemporary has since grown to be the leading auction platform in West Africa, holding two main auctions annually in addition to the Affordable Art Auction which kicked off in 2016 and holds once a year. Now, collectors are able to access Arthouse Contemporary’s vast online database and this helps to provide a clear understanding of value and pricing.
Arthouse Showroom
Kavita’s work exceeds auctioning as there are also Arthouse -The Space and Arthouse Foundation, subdivisions created for exhibitions, and full time artist residency programmes, and through the activities of the Arthouse Collective, artists like Ben Enwonwu, Kolade Oshinowo, Yusuf Grillo and Uche Okeke have attained global recognition.
Arthouse Foundation – Artist Resident, Dipo Doherty, Winter 2016 Session
Yusuf Grillo Retrospective, Kia Showroom, 2015
It is rather intriguing that an expatriate is completely passionate and occupied by an industry that is neither her country’s nor within her continent, but home, they say, is where the heart is.
“Nigeria is home to me.” Kavita explains “… I have raised my family here, and I have watched my children and grandchildren grow up in Nigeria”
Nigeria, in turn, acknowledges Kavita’s work, and amongst her many recognitions is a chieftaincy title from Oshogbo, a town in Western Nigeria famous for its rich history in championing local art practices.