An official statement received from the organisers of the India Art Fair informs us, that the value of the art works on display during the four days of the Fair will be between Rs 50 crore and Rs 70 crore. There may be debates about the valuation — a recent newspaper article had mentioned that art works have been valued much lower — this, nevertheless, highlights the importance that the India Art Fair has achieved within its 4th showing among international and Indian art galleries. There is also no doubt about the need to provide adequate security for any exhibition of this size.

Security of a large event is never easy and even more so when the exhibits are paintings by world famous artists. In an interview to a Kolkata daily, Neha Kirpal, director of India Art Fair, mentions the problems that she has had to cope with during the three earlier Art Summits held in India. She says, “There have been practical problems whenever the works of MF.Husain were showcased. We are collectively responsible for the galleries who are exhibiting here and the huge gathering of people. There is danger of art works being vandalised. However, we could showcase Husain in the last season under police protection, owing to the support extended by the government. We kept appealing to the government and finally got security in the last edition. I want to continue this commitment under police protection.”

At the Birla Academy of Art & Culture in Kolkata,I recently saw a massive show featuring the gallery’s superb collection of art, gathered over the past five decades. My eyes were drawn towards two mesmerising mountain-scapes in oils, glowing like jewels and painted by Russian artist Nicholas Roerich. Known for his dramatic depictions of Himalayas, the artist had chosen to make India his home and lived up in the mountains near Manali with his wife, the legendary film star Devika Rani. Coincidentally, at around the same time, I also read about some other works by Roerich that had mysteriously disappeared from the library of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute and, thereafter, surfaced at a Sotheby auction in London. The CBI is said to be busy collecting evidence and investigating the details of the two persons from Pakistan, who claimed that the Roerich paintings had been in the family’s possession for more than three decades.

Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), one of the capital’s leading art galleries, is well known for its well-researched exhibitions and publications. Having participated in all the three earlier Art Summits, DAG will be exhibiting art works worth about Rs 40 crore, during the upcoming Art Fair. While Neha Kirpal assures everyone that a ‘major chunk’ has been spent on security, DAG, like many others, has decided to add ‘additional’ security of its own to ensure that no mishaps take place.

Artist Subodh Gupta puts it all very succinctly when he says, “The problem in this country is that nobody cares about art. We should have a strong law against destroying or stealing art works.” This then is the sum of it all. Art has to become important at all levels to make it important enough to be preserved and made secure. Here’s to a safe and secure India Art Fair.

(The writer is a winner of many advertising design awards and a painter of repute)