If art is all about creativity, how about a gallery in a creative space?  We have seen paintings hung on walls, kept on easels, mounted on tables, but all inside four walls.  Can art be hung on corridor walls and still remain to be called a gallery?  Arterios is one such gallery.  Yes a corridor space of an apartment has been converted in to an ‘Open Air’ gallery.

Ms. Lata Gopati, the women behind this innovative conversion is an old student of Stella Maris.  Having graduated in fine arts, she took on to painting and murals in 90s and sold them to small group of people through her contacts.  Later one day when she was walking in her corridor, a new chord struck in her mind.  She thought of converting the corridor in to a space of Art Exhibits. In consensus with her neighbours, she set up Arterios in April 2009.

Arterios is a 50 x 50 ‘Corridor-Gallery’, where art exhibitions are held once in a month, running for a week or 10 days.  There are no artificial lights or expensive decors.  Here Art speaks for itself, elevating the artistic mood.

“Investing in lakhs and calculating Return on Investment is not the objective of the company.  This is a platform for upcoming artists and a place for true art lovers” quotes Lata Gopati.

It was not an encouraging start for Lata, when she discussed this concept in her circle.  She had to sail the same boat of discouragements and criticisms like many of us.  She had negative remarks primarily about the locale she chose to set this gallery up.  South Chennai being the hub for art and art collectors, shenoy nagar was considered a bad choice amongst her crowd.  

A lady with determination, she has proved them all wrong.  Her gallery is already booked for this year and she is selling paintings not only in Chennai, but all over India and Abroad.  Many art collectors have visited her website and placed special orders with her.  She is against the scenario of looking at Art as an investment.  She opines that Art should be bought out of love and passion for Art and not expecting returns.  With this crux in mind she chooses art works priced between Rs.1,500 to Rs.20,000 and not more than that.

Watch out on newspapers for the art shows at ‘Arterios’, as it is not a permanent gallery.  It is open from 10 am to 6 pm, only on exhibition days.

Art lovers and Art collectors do shift your focus to Shenoy Nagar next time when you want to add a canvass member to your art family.  Artists who wish to exhibit here may contact:

Ms. Lata Gopati
Arterios
Parkland Place
7, Pulla Avenue
Shenoy Nagar,
Chennai – 30
Ph: 430 32860
www.artyrios.com
arterioschennai@gmail.com