While Mumbai is known for its art scene, Pune recently added a contemporary art gallery to its list of cultural institutions. Iranian-Canadian curator and gallerist Vida Heydari launched the Vida Heydari Contemporary art gallery in the trendy neighbourhood of Koregaon Park. The inaugural show, "Origins of a Perennial Bouquet", is curated by Bose Krishnamachari of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The group show will display works by well-known contemporary artists like Sudarshan Shetty, Benitha Perciyal, Manish Nai, Sumedh Rajendran and Tanya Goel in the 800 sq ft gallery space. The works are priced between ₹1.2-65 lakh.
Heydari has worked extensively with Indian, Iranian and Chinese contemporary artists, international galleries and private collections for over a decade. Three years ago, she moved to Pune. “I fell in love with the city during my visits here; it’s given me a second life. and I thought, what better way to give back and add to the art and culture of the city? I also think Pune is ready for a space like this,” says Heydari. The gallery will showcase local talents as well. An upcoming show next year is by local artist Rajita Schade.
Besides displaying artworks, the gallery also has an attached restaurant, which will serve contemporary European cuisine. Celebrity chef Ajay Chopra has been roped in to take charge of the 1600 sq ft restaurant. The restaurant, Heydari hopes, will add to the overall experience, offering a place for creative-minded people and art lovers to meet and spend time.
To ensure social distancing protocols are maintained, the gallery is pre-booking, and will allow only seven people in at a time. “We are also going to facilitate live viewing of the art works in the gallery through our website, in a few days,” said Heydari. The 80-seater restaurant, too, will operate only half its capacity to ensure hygiene and safety of patrons, she added.
The exhibition will be on till 14 February. Head to www.vhc.art for more details.
