Kishore Singh’s “Wanted: A Charles Saatchi for India” (August 25) was interesting. I’m struck by how the Indian art market has developed with virtually no representation in New York museums or galleries. What’s remarkable is that even now, the Museum of Modern Art, which has arguably the best collection of modern art around the world (admittedly, with an extra focus on Western art), has no paintings by M F Husain or virtually any other progressive artist. I don’t remember seeing any of their works at the Metz or any of the other museums in New York. There is only one gallery with a significant Indian representation. (I’m less familiar with the London art scene, but the Tate Modern doesn’t seem to have any of Husain’s work either.)
Considering New York represents a significant portion of the private art market internationally, this suggests that there is a large number of potential buyers, both American and those who travel there, who have virtually no access to the best Indian artists, from today or the recent past. This is an indication to the limited impact that New York has on the international art market. But this should also be encouraging for those who support Indian art — once collectors there discover these painters, there is every reason to think that their prices will rise accordingly.
Daniel Kushner, on email
