Saloni Doshi connects the turning points in her decade long journey with Space118, as she continues the legacy via her upcoming book, in a free-flowing conversation with Sonalee Tomar for the Asian Curator.
I have always found myself playing a role that is hard to explain and ahead of its time. And it was no different with the residency. It was a tough journey in many ways, but its myriad merits and my own growth as a person, have more than made up for the challenges I have encountered along the way.
Portrait courtesy Saloni Doshi.
Let’s talk about your initial interface with the art world, and pivotal turning points.
In 2000-2001, while waiting to go to London for my third Masters, I interned with the Osian’s Fine Art auction house; an enterprising initiative with a publication attached. My job involved coding, numbering and documenting their photographic archive, so I rummaged through everything. This enriching nine-month internship completely changed my perspective. The importance given to making books and catalogues played a huge role in the way I appreciate and want to experience art.
It was a job where we didn’t just work with art but were encouraged to literally immerse ourselves. We were encouraged to have our own choice of artwork at/above our desks; opening our eyes to the world of art.
Meanwhile, I got through to London school of Economics, and despite the turning point in life with this internship, I went to the UK for a Masters in MSc Media and Communication.
After I returned to India, I started working at Times of India. During my five-year stint at the Times (of India), I pursued my fourth masters in Art criticism from Jnanapravaha University. And I started collecting art. After leaving Times (of India), I completed a diploma in Indian art aesthetics, also from Jnanapravaha University.
A visit to the Space Studios, Baroda was the biggest turning point for me personally. It sparked my imagination and I returned quite charged after that trip. The collector side of me took a back seat, and the patron, for lack of a better word, took the wheel.
When did you decide to pursue a career in the arts?
I knew early on that I wanted to do something with the arts, but I didn’t know what it was. I couldn’t pursue collecting after leaving the corporate world behind when I quit Times (of India) and I wasn’t interested in starting a gallery.
An art appreciation trip for young collectors and enthusiasts to an established arts centre in Baroda, made me realise that I was divorced from the process of making art. Being introduced to the artists community, amidst the open-minded atmosphere of MSU, I realised that I had not been able to see how things function behind the scenes while visiting the galleries in Mumbai as a client. I went to artists’ studios in Baroda despite being discouraged and thought the work done there was fabulous, despite being told that it was boring.
A visit to the Space Studio, Baroda was the biggest turning point for me personally. It sparked my imagination and I returned quite charged after that trip. The collector side of me took a back seat, and the patron, for lack of a better word, took the wheel.
Interior view. Space118 studios.
I saw the need for artists to expose themselves to a larger culture. This made me want to encourage a connection between Mumbai’s energetic, multi-cultural dimensionality and the creative process of an artist, and by extension his or her worldview. In my mind a vision was born, for a platform that would come to be called Space118.
Take us through your inspirations and frameworks of reference that lead to the inception of Space118.
I realised so many things after I visited Space Studio in Baroda. The actual space reminded me of our own warehouse in Mumbai, and hence, it left an impression. How are artists going to know what the world has to offer, if they live in silos inside their studios in Baroda? I saw the need for artists to expose themselves to a larger culture. This made me want to encourage a connection between Mumbai’s energetic, multi-cultural dimensionality and the creative process of an artist, and by extension his or her worldview. In my mind a vision was born, for a platform that would come to be called Space118.
Ten years ago, there was nothing in Mumbai in the form of community studios/residencies. I requested Arshiya Lokhandwala of Lakereen Gallery, Tushar Jiwarajka of Volte and Bose Krishnamachari, founder Kochi Biennale, to visit my father’s warehousing (and logistics) space. They truly encouraged me and reinstated that it was essential to build a residency space.
How and when did you launch the first Space118 residency program?
I envisioned a platform where one would meet artists from other cities and experience the art ecosystem and infrastructure that Mumbai has to offer. I had an online background. Playing to my strengths, I set up our website, which incidentally, is as old as the space itself, and then we put out a call. This was January of 2009. I started speaking to the artists known to me and telling people at openings that I’m starting a residency and our first batch was a result of word of mouth.
Long story short I set my own benchmarks.
Tell us about the teething troubles and challenges you encountered in the beginning.
It was like shooting in the dark, when I started. Mumbai, being the financial capital, is an expensive city. So, if I din’t provide a residency, no-one was going to come and work here. Yet, I didn’t want to risk too much in the beginning, as there was no precedent.
There was no benchmark because Khoj in Delhi was the only other place. While I’m sure Delhi has its own challenges, Mumbai is a completely unique phenomenon. Long story short I set my own benchmarks. I wasn’t calculative, I din’t know what a studio in south Mumbai, literally fifteen minutes from all the galleries, would mean to an artist. I knew what programming meant for a gallery but I didn’t know what it meant for a space like mine. I was devoid of prejudices but also of constraints, so there were no application criteria. I allowed anyone who applied, based on availability.
The whole aim was to have a dynamic environment where people would exchange ideas, interact with each other and also interact with the city, so there were no expectations of the outcome. Initially, for the first three years it was just a studio; artists would come and go. Later, it became a residency when we got an apartment in Churchgate where the artists would live.
Room with a view. Space118 studios.
I have always found myself playing a role that is hard to explain and ahead of its time. And it was no different with the residency.
Did you know you were pioneering a trend? Let’s talk about your experience of being the first in the space.
I have always found myself playing a role that is hard to explain and ahead of its time. And it was no different with the residency. When I was working for Times of India, I was called the online girl. No one understood what I was doing. I started as the brand and digital head for Mumbai Mirror and subsequently all the Mirrors across India, moving on to Economic Times, Times of India E-paper and briefly Indiatimes. Everything from booking the domain to getting the E-paper up and running was my responsibility. And I had to repeatedly explain to people what a newspaper website was. Today, it is the new normal to look up news online. Back then, it wasn’t!
I have been a part of each step of this evolution in the PR and publishing industry.
Fast forward to today, PR isn’t complete without posting on social media. It went from the online channel of Times (of India) to Facebook and Instagram in a flash. And I have been a part of each step of this evolution in the PR and publishing industry. We even published three volumes of catalogues featuring all the artists who have been at Space 118.
The Space118 studios compound and outdoor space.
How did it evolve?
Initially, we started as studios only, then progressed to residencies as many artists could not afford to live in Bombay. Also, we had a well-planned programme for the artists- an ice breaker session on arrival, where they would introduce themselves and their practice to each other, regular emails on what’s happening in the city, mentorship session by a senior artist and eventually the open studio day where the studios are opened up to the public. We even started workshops such as printmaking, Raku pottery, origami, watercolours and even ceramics by the in-house artists and skilled professionals which were open to the public. We had several tie-ups with important grants by INLAKS, Quebec Council, and other countries for supporting their residencies.
The time-period of the residency has been shrinking with time, because of the ever-increasing demand. We started by giving out the studios for six months and today it has ended up being two months.
Realising that I’m not enough to contribute and critique, I brought in top artists and curators like Jitish Kallat, Sudarshan Shetty, Shilpa Gupta, Sudhir Patwardhan, Sakshi Gupta, Dhruvi Acharya, Vivek Vilasini, and the late Hema Upadhaya as mentors and guides for the artists in residence.
The biggest challenge has been to find capable program managers who can run Space118 with my vision.
What has been the biggest challenge to this day?
It is very demanding job because there is a lot of personal involvement and there have been financial challenges at every step.
The biggest challenge has been to find capable program managers who can run Space118 with my vision; people with the right knowledge and background. I have undertaken to help prepare future residency managers for what to expect, but I feel no one can prepare you completely.
My journey has been enriching but also understandably, full of surprises. I’d definitely do it all over again. It has helped me discover myself, my skills, good friends and an exposure to a different level. It has given me an identity and a sense of purpose.
What would you do differently if you were to do it again?
I realised that I had been immersed in operations for a decade when I completed ten years in 2019. My journey has been enriching but also understandably, full of surprises. I’d definitely do it all over again, but perhaps with a different program. I am grateful to Geetha Mehra of Sakshi Gallery for celebrating ten years of Space118 with a touching month-long exhibition, which I curated in 2019. The show was well received by the art world, with over four hundred attendees at the opening, and that too in the pouring rain. It was reassuring and encouraging; residencies are sanctuaries for young talent are much needed.
I have loved every minute of this journey. It has helped me discover myself, my skills, good friends and an exposure to a different level. It has given me an identity and a sense of purpose.
We are dedicated to building creative, curatorial and informative support structures for contemplative study, research and collaborative as well as independent projects via a network of enthusiasts, artists and the art fraternity of Mumbai.
What is the aim and outcomes of a typical residency? How do you structure the artists’ time?
The first aim is to make sure they are completely plugged in to Mumbai’s local cultural calendar even before they arrive. Second goal is familiarising them with Mumbai so they can navigate the complicated city. All this is achieved via an exclusive cultural map which we put together for them. Two daily mails are sent out with schedules of live chats, gallery openings, and talks, all listed out.
The objective is to expose and educate emerging visual arts practitioners on various art-forms and practices; providing opportunities to those with limited access to multi-cultural exchange programs. Giving priority to emerging artists, helping them find a solid yet sophisticated voice and moulding them for life outside the studio.
We are dedicated to building creative, curatorial and informative support structures for contemplative study, research and collaborative as well as independent projects via a network of enthusiasts, artists and the art fraternity of Mumbai. We facilitate mentorship and guidance programmes for the artists through our Visiting Mentors initiative. We help build awareness about artist studios and residency practice amongst the larger publics in India.
Tell us about the space in context of where the residency is.
Every space and city has its own unique offering. I feel encouraged when I hear about new residencies starting, because the demand is growing faster than the solutions. There is no competition amongst residencies. They all have different things to offer and I actively look to promote this. Like ‘What About Art?’ is in Bandra, which has its own cultural ethos, Piramal is in Thane. Besides, what a residency in Goa can offer, Mumbai can’t.
Artists and collectors are two ends of the spectrum. But patronage systems like my studios are somewhere in between, like a finishing school or an incubator.
This one is for Saloni the collector. Let’s talk about patronage in art, as a model.
Arts practitioners have always lived and thrived because of collectors and patronage. Artists and collectors are two ends of the spectrum. But patronage systems like my studios are somewhere in between, like a finishing school or an incubator. This experience teaches one more practical life and survival skills as an artist in the wider arts ecosystem.
On that note, what do you think is missing in artists’ lives today?
Schools in the Indian perspective are insular and students are not taught to meet challenges with real life-skills. They aren’t shown case-studies like in a business school. No-one is reading successful contemporary artists’ career trajectories in any art college. They are just taught about the painting styles of long-deceased artists, and what happened centuries ago, that too in the western world.
They don’t know how to introduce themselves so they end up spamming galleries’ inboxes with portfolios which are just treated as junk-mail. College education has a huge gap, as they don’t train your mind to be open. They don’t tell you which galleries to visit or which museums to look at, so when these artists come to Mumbai – the sky is the limit for them!
Change is the cornerstone of civilisation. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring and that’s the key, so to answer your question – I see myself adjusting to change.
Let’s talk about the new normal. How do you see yourself pivoting to make the most of this new world?
Change is the cornerstone of civilisation. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring and that’s the key, so to answer your question – I see myself adjusting to change.
Physical locations have become obsolete. Zoom meetings/online media is the future – and is here to stay. It has brought people closer and yet there’s a content overload. The way content is created and consumed will change. I don’t watch TV for news or get a newspaper for the past 15 years, my information comes from people, newsletters and social media apps. I’ve trained myself to follow channels and individuals specific to my interest. I’m good at sifting. What content stays relevant in the future is based on the target audience.
Art was a passion, that became an obsession and is now my profession.
Tell us about your collection. How did you go about collecting art?
I started collecting art from my salary in Times of India, because buying shares and mutual funds bored me. I would go to Fort and Colaba to catch a show on an evening after work. This fuelled my interest and I started investing in art instead of the traditional forms of investment.
I would buy two works, every month, from my salary. Many a times, if my younger sister Avani really liked the works, she would take the second one. I would buy from galleries all over India, or at least go visit them when I was in the city. Art was a passion, that became an obsession and is now my profession. It gave me meaning and purpose in life.
Open studios are a daytime affair, you can see finished and unfinished works and all their surroundings, as opposed to the controlled, spot-lit and primarily finished work in a gallery show.
Tell us about the Open Studios. Do these translate to sales? Did it never appeal to you to open a gallery or a dedicated commercial exhibition space?
I started this because I wanted to be close to the creative process and encourage artists to better their practice. Secondly, I didn’t want to stick a commercial layer over a space of learning and interaction.
Open studio days are an informal way of experiencing and interacting with art. People come and see the work being made without the pressures of a formal gallery. Sometimes artists visit, wanting to see other artists in process. Collectors, curators, friends and gallerists come in, but the aim of an open studio is not to sell art. It is a more nuanced personal experience of the makers process.
Open studios are a daytime affair, you can see finished and unfinished works and all their surroundings, as opposed to the controlled, spot-lit and primarily finished work in a gallery show. The timings are four to seven PM, while gallery shows start at seven PM. Hosting an event for two hundred people is a management challenge in itself, and having done so many, has been quite an experience.
This is the unorganised sector, which means there is no methodology, no documentation and no rules.
Tell me about your own research, observations and learnings.
This is the unorganised sector, which means there is no methodology, no documentation and no rules. I visited several residencies in London, Paris and New York to get acquainted with the residency ecosystem and scene, initially. I also won the Art Think South Asia fellowship instituted by Khoj, to go do the same in Berlin.
Abroad, it is a completely different world, when it comes to patronage for the arts. The biggest difference I saw upfront was that we don’t have the same financial backing and community support from local councils, governments, entrepreneurs and patrons. This is the reason why there are only two types of residencies – first artist run, that usually die because of lack of funding. And second patron run like mine which burn out because they lose the patron or vision.
Initially, it was hard to explain what I did, because I’m neither an artist, nor gallerist.
Let’s talk about your personal evolution vis a vis the work that you do.
Initially, it was hard to explain what I did, because I’m neither an artist, nor gallerist. The growth of residencies in the country has been multifold with many coming up all over India with different focuses and programming. It has become easier over the past two years to tell people what I do, by reference.
It is enriching to see the trajectory of artists who started their journey at Space118 and went on to become successful in their practice. Many have naturally become dear friends of mine. With our new Space 118 Contemporaries Program this time around, we welcomed a very confident group, who clearly know their place in the world and were selected for the opportunity by a strong jury. They are a deserving group of artists and it gives me a huge boost introducing them to galleries and artists for mentorship, offer them the opportunities.
It has been overwhelming and time-consuming to establish oneself over 10 years in some ways but it has its merits too, as long as you remember why you started it in the first place. The show culminating in a decade of Space118 at Sakshi Gallery, was to pay respect to this dedication of vision and raise funds for my upcoming book, called “Mapping Residencies in India post independence”.
How are you going about the book in lockdown?
Through these ten years I didn’t know much about what I was doing in the residency space. Lead by my curiosity about my own place in this ecosystem, I started researching and collating materials on all the studio residencies across India since 1947. Eight years of research is culminating in a book, and work is on in full swing, as I speak.
I take great pride in the artists who started out at Space118. A lot of them got their first solo or group show because they came here and got noticed. And then it feels like this investment in relationships was worthwhile.
Books about galleries and auction houses are a dime a dozen, because newspapers write about them. But no-one pays attention to the residencies. People starting residencies today don’t necessarily know what has already transpired as there is no guide book. India has had about fifty residencies, and more than half of these don’t exist anymore. A questionnaire goes out to the residency managers, and we collate the information in our own formats.
How do you envision the future? What can we look forward to?
Over the past ten years, we have hosted over three hundred and fifty artists, organised over twenty-five Open studio events and over fifty workshops. I have now come to realise that I do not want to spend the same amount of my time in operations. It has been fun to nurture the other residencies that you see running in India today. And the most important thing: to nurture the interdisciplinary impetus of global art practitioners through creative workshops and residencies for experimentation in the visual arts and art making in Mumbai.
Training the trainers would be the best use of my time and experience, going into the future. Last year, I was going to give it all up, but instead I ended up revamping the programming; establishing with the Space118 Fine Arts Grant, 2020 and the Space118 Contemporaries Program, 2020 under the guidance of artist, Shilpa Gupta. We also aim to enable the growth of art writers by instituting a separate grant for them.
Saloni’s journey in a snapshot: Saloni Doshi grew up in New Delhi where she went to school at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. She graduated with a double honours degree in Politics and Economics at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Communications Media at the Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai and then moved on to pursue her Master’s in Media and Communication at the London School of Economics, London. She also has a Diploma in Art Criticism and Theory (ACT) and Indian Art Aesthetics from Jnanapravaha, Mumbai.
After more than 5 years at the Times of India, where she played a pivotal role in digitising all the print publications by creating their websites, she decided to pursue her passion and follow her heart. Saloni has been a devoted collector of art mostly contemporary Indian art, ever since she graduated from college; however, her journey into a career of art began when she interned at Osian’s Fine Art auction house for a brief period.
In 2009, she decided to develop a part of her warehouse space in South Mumbai into Artist Studios and Residencies to give to the artists’ community something that was lacking and much required in the city – space. An avid reader and photographer, Saloni also dabbles in writing for the Arts and Culture pages of TOI. She is the Founder Chairperson of the Bombay Chapter of Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (YFLO) and the current Chairperson for the London School of Economics Alumni in Bombay. In 2016, Saloni was also awarded the prestigious ArtThinkSouthAsia (ATSA) Fellowship sponsored by Khoj, British Council and the Goethe Institute.
Before you go – you might like to browse the Asian Curator curatorial archives . Contemporary art curators and international gallerists define their curatorial policies and share stories and insights about the inner runnings of the contemporary art world.
great article thank you for sharing