Pune art gallery with eye for new talent opens with work of insurance professional

Pune’s newest art gallery’s aim is to promote up-and-coming and unknown talents, especially women. Its inaugural exhibition features the work of an artist who is an insurance professional by day while pursuing her painting passion.

Supriya Cohen, 54, had wanted to be a professional artist but life had different plans. Supriya’s Art, a collection of 51 oil and acrylic paintings that is being exhibited at India Gift House’s gallery, which was inaugurated on March 8 in Camp, features her core inspirations — nature, floral designs and architecture.

“My grandfather and mother were skilled artists and since childhood, I aspired to pursue arts but could not do so. I started painting again in 2013 and realised the amount of joy and happiness my life was missing. Initially, it was just a hobby and I never imagined I would have a solo exhibition,” says Cohen.

Harish Shivnani, 51, owner of the India Gift House, had been planning to establish an art gallery for several years. “Supriya and I are friends and I have been following her work, which I believe should reach more people. I am happy to say that we are getting a good response to her exhibition and more than 100 people were present for the inauguration,” he says.

For visitors such as Leher Garwal, liberal arts student, the exhibition was “calm and soothing”. “From the curator’s perspective, the placement of lights is perfect, which makes it more pleasing to the eyes,” she says. The impression of the pantings is partly due to the fact that the artist becomes immersed when she paints. “She gets so lost while she paints that she even forgets to feed me. This exhibition makes me so proud, as I have seen her managing work, passion and household responsibilities at the same time,” says Shifra, an engineering student and the artist’s daughter.

Shivnani wants to provide opportunities to more such artists. “All art lovers are invited here. I am ready to exhibit all types of art form,” he says.