Digitisation has changed the way art is created and sold: Amrita Deora

Art has evolved over the centuries with each decade adding a different facet to it. As the genre continues to grow, it is no longer restricted to its traditional form. Digitisation and artificial intelligence are both a new way to create art and at the same time perceived as a threat to an artist’s original expression. (Also read: How interior design trends changed over the years? A journey from 1970s to 2020s)

Amrita Deora, who studied art at Central Saint Martins in London and went on to found The Designera, India’s first and only pop art gallery, travelled extensively for her love of art from Venice’s Biennale to Art Basel to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and searched every location and travelled to wherever she could find art. The artist founded The Designera to give opportunity to emerging artists and provide them with all the creative support and tools.

The Designera with a sprawling 2500 sq ft space currently features an exciting exhibition of augmented reality and artificial intelligence, showcasing a stunning collection of paintings, sculptures, and cutting-edge works from emerging artists around the world. Amrita says the pieces don’t follow any trends, discriminate against mediums, or seek out a certain brand of artists, they are simply pieces born out of inspired artists.

In an interview with HT Digital, the artist and the founder of this magnificent pop gallery, talks about art, artificial intelligence and the changing face of art.

Excerpts:

What is a pop art gallery? Can you tell us more about this concept?

Pop-art is an art genre that emerged in the 1950’s and 1960’s as a reaction against the elitism of traditional fine art. In a time when beautiful landscapes and aristocratic portraits were the norms, pop artists took the everyday ordinary object, and called it art. Pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein drew inspiration from mass-produced consumer goods, comic books, and advertisements. They created art that reflected the popular culture of the time, and their work was often characterised by bold colours, sharp lines, and a sense of irony.

In today’s context, pop-art consists of pieces that are humorous, bright, vibrant, light-hearted and referencing contemporary pop-culture. This unique aesthetic is catered towards the younger demographic with a penchant for making a bold statement.

How are augmented art and artificial intelligence changing the face of art?

Augmented reality is going to change the landscape of art across the globe. Traditionally when an artist has an idea, the only way that they could visualize it is to sketch, illustrate, sculpt or paint it. This is what would constitute the actual art piece. With the advent of augmented reality, the artist can put their idea into a series of words and have an AR-generated visualization of this piece within seconds. This shift will make it increasingly important to have a really strong concept or thought behind the piece, putting the emphasis on creating more thought-provoking and conceptual pieces.

However, everything does come full circle. As we move to a word with fonts and typing, over hand-lettering, the charm of calligraphy is more enchanting than ever. In the same way, as there are more and more art pieces created with augmented reality, the charm of an oil painting or metal sculpture will be most valued.

How is digitisation changing the scene of art and the fate of artists?

In an era of digitisation, art has seen momentous shifts to the digital space. This has resulted in the revolution of age-old practices in the way art is created and sold.

We’ve seen a rise in path breaking digitally created art forms such as algorithmic art, vector paintings, photo paintings, digital collages and fractal paintings. Digital creation is an alluring medium for artists as it allows exponentially faster work, far fewer raw materials, digital aids in creating clean designs and production of multiple copies of the same artwork resulting in maximum revenue. Moreover, it is the most forgiving form of art as an incorrect paint stroke can be removed with a simple ctrl + z.

The pandemic has also compelled many traditional art houses and galleries to move to digital platforms. By incorporating AR features where you can view an art piece on your living room wall from your fingertips, the business of art has gone digital. Needless to say, social media has also been instrumental in the digitisation of art. With the Instagram age being a platform for aesthetics, creators hold a natural advantage. Artists now have a global canvas to paint, unlike one they have never had before.

AI in the art can be used to create fake imitations of original masterpieces. This can render real artists’ work less worthy. What is your take?

The global art scene is set to be revolutionised by augmented reality. In the past, artists would have to rely on traditional methods such as sketching, illustrating, sculpting, or painting to bring their ideas to life. These physical manifestations of their concepts were considered the actual art pieces. However, with the emergence of augmented reality, artists can now express their ideas in words and instantly generate AR visualisations of their work. This shift places a greater emphasis on having a strong conceptual foundation for art, leading to more thought-provoking and conceptually-driven pieces.

Yet, as we embrace the convenience of digital fonts and typing, the allure of calligraphy has only grown stronger. Similarly, amidst the proliferation of art created using augmented reality, the value of traditional mediums such as oil paintings or metal sculptures will be cherished for their unique charm and enduring appeal.

Tell us something about this new exhibition. What kind of artwork is on display? What will be new for art lovers in this?

We are beyond excited to be opening doors to India’s first pop-art exclusive gallery. The gallery is a labour of love that combines our internationally-inspired contemporary art pieces while working solely with emerging grassroots Indian artists. We look forward to being trailblazers in the Indian art landscape, with our unique aesthetic, integration of technology, and upliftment of emerging artists.

Our opening exhibition titled ‘Juxtapose’ is a collection of pieces that look at the contrast. From the juxtaposition of mediums and themes to eras and artists, this exhibition will celebrate the beauty of contrast.

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