Dithi Chakrabortty left Indian shores more than four years ago and, in order to find her footing in a different culture and country, began to explore the artist in her.
Dithi Chakrabortty left Indian shores more than four years ago and, in order to find her footing in a different culture and country, began to explore the artist in her. Today, she sells online and quite successfully at that too. In an interview with DNA, Dithi talks about being an artist, online…
You’re a nutritionist-turned-artist; how difficult was such a transition?
Sounds funny as this transition was not planned; it was more a result of life situations. We had moved to Europe in 2007, I had been working in Mumbai as a dietician before then. The language barrier kept me from rejoining work on my terms right away. I reconnected with art while grappling with this new life, to cope. Blogging my work was my way of inviting feedback and interact with other bloggers/artists, to motivate myself and learn. One thing led to the other, the blog got good viewership year by year and my online shop did well too. There was no looking back after I got the nod from art connoisseurs and my work got featured in a few leading magazines and newspapers in India. Let’s just say that this was a happy accident that has changed my life hence!
How do you go about visualising a collection of paintings — where do you find inspiration?
India is my muse. Art for me is not removed from everyday living; it is an extension of my life experiences, a medium to connect with and understand better — my roots. India surrounds you with inspiration in its music, people, places, literature and the diverse cultural palette. When I visit home, I love to travel and collect photo stories. Staying in Kolkata for Durga Puja was, for example, a treat for the senses. I was in Shantiniketan for Poush Mela and what made the trip even more special this year was getting to see the bauls perform up and close, watching the Santhaali tribal women dance to the music born of the raanga maati (Bengali: raanga - red, maati - soil; typical of Birbhum), watching the sun set on rural Bengal — the beauty of these experiences stay with you. This is the birthplace of all my canvases. I am right now training under a senior graphic printmaking artist in a beautiful community studio in Kolkata, focussing on relief prints (woodcuts and linocuts).
Do you think affordable art and prints has enabled many art lovers from not-so-rich backgrounds to actually start collecting or is it still difficult?
Affordability is relative, especially if you compare the markets in India and outside. More than being affordable, I think that sharing work online has helped me earn a lovely viewership, encouraged interaction with art-lovers and collectors with varied profiles across the world. Sharing work updates and stories behind my canvases and the feedback that it brings is an experience that is not intimidating, but enjoyable and creates relationships that go beyond the art collection. The client can choose between originals or the more affordable digital prints, of course, depending on how much they want to invest. As an artist, I offer a reasonably wide range to choose from.
How has the online retail platform helped you — given that you sell through Etsy?
Publishing online has without a doubt facilitated visibility. With the blog and social networking platforms, it is much easier to spread the word, post updates from work progress. There is a chunk of discreet buyers who are increasingly using the internet to make purchases today. The online platforms are visually rich, make for great presentation and make it easier for the collector to access a larger body of work from various artists in different parts of the world.
Where do you have the maximum buyers?
I have most of my buyers in the NRI communities across the world and non-Indians who have travelled to the country and/or have an India connection. I do have buyers in India, but as far as art is concerned, the Indian collector still prefers the gallery to the online shop.
What are some of the challenges you face when selling online?
The biggest problem is plagiarism. I know I speak for the entire online artist community today when I say that it is really important to protect your work if you are making it available online. Disabling right clicking, licensing and contract binding the artwork in case of third party usage are crucial steps to make sure your work is protected. I have had my work copied on a book cover design by a major publishing house, printed on products for a reputed design company, used as a backdrop for a movie set, used as a hoarding — I am embarrassed to say that all instances have so far been in India. However, my license protects me and helps damage control. The other challenge of course, is to access the art lover that only visits galleries and does not purchase work off the internet. I am hopeful that there will be a right time and the right gallery for me to bring my work in India
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Do you think affordable art and prints has enabled many art lovers from not-so-rich backgrounds to actually start collecting or is it still difficult?)
What are some of the challenges you face when selling online?
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