Unlike usual days, today I woke up early, completed the morning rituals hurriedly and stepped out to visit the gallery and meet my team. I was excited to view the gallery where Zarah is hosting its third annual exhibition. A boring car ride soon gave way to an interesting space and I was awe-struck by its sheer simplicity and beauty.
I have never been a part of any exhibition before, so I was quite curious to know what goes into the process of managing the logistics, how do the galleries function and finally how an exhibition is organised. Arpana Fine Arts Gallery is managed by the renowned artist, Arpana Caur and her mother, Ajeet Caur. I was surprised to know that the space not only has a gallery but also a Women’s Empowerment Centre, which supports underprivileged women and girls and imparts vocational training and basic education to them. I was fascinated by the works of Arpana Caur that were displayed in the gallery right next to the one where we were sitting. Her ‘Day and Night’ series was splendid and I stood there, totally captivated. The free library and reading room was another delight for me. As Archie, Shivangi and Barnita discussed about the paintings and photographs to be exhibited there, I sat there silently, observing their discussion and ideas. The gallery space was vast but they were worried about the arrangement of photographs, paintings, projector and screen. Measurements were taken, calculations were made and they enthusiastically threw ideas at each other. It was quite an experience for me, because not only was I learning the basics of organising an exhibition but was also getting to know the team better. I realised the toughest part was the management of logistics. Still, it did not stop me from imagining those three days in August when our exhibition will be organised. And it felt beautiful. I soon got back to work, clicking photographs of the venue and the team.
We were waiting for Aastha, the design intern but after an hour we decided to drive to The Potbelly Cafe in Shahpur Jat, a few kilometres away from the gallery. Over delicious Bihari food and beverages we discussed the entries sent by the participants, the curatorial process was quite engaging and exhaustive. Further discussions again got back to logistics and management. With all the enthusiasm we wrote down our duties and pending tasks. Soon Archie, Barnita and Shivangi started sharing the memories they had from the previous exhibition, how it feels to be a part of it and knowing it won’t last for long. I was touched after hearing their words and knew the mix of excitement and emotions they felt. I could feel a part of it too. The day concluded with scrumptious pineapple cake, another visit to the gallery and a realisation that a lot more needed to be done.