​​The Art Appreciation Society by Tejshree Savara & Arjun Guleria embraces inclusivity to connect arts and hearts from all across

There’s a certain non-conformity and unconventionality that great art embraces unabashedly.

Tejshree Savara and Arjun Guleria bring the world of magnificent art to the general public with The Art Appreciation Society (TAAS). Tejshree works as an art, antiques, and cultural heritage legal advisor while Arjun has co-founded Beam & Words, a design and communication agency. Connecting over their common love for art, people from all walks of life come together to experience art in different forms — clothes, jewellery, paintings, and decor too.

Elle decor talks to these two minds behind The Art Appreciation Society about their passions, inspirations, art and everything in between.

What would you credit as the source of your inspiration for starting The Art Appreciation Society?

Tejshree and I started The Art Appreciation Society with a very honest passion for the arts and a desire to connect with others who felt the same. We do believe that art is for all and that it doesn’t need to conform to any narrow and unwritten definitions of what constitutes art or more important, who should be allowed access.

Art genuinely is something to be enjoyed by everyone and has this amazing power to bring together people and fuel positive change. Art can be fun, educational, and introspective all at once! The idea was to create an intimate community where people from all walks of life and across ages can connect and learn together without the intimidation that at times is perceived at these experiences. Art never has had rules and there equally should not be any around how one may choose to enjoy or interact with art.

What are your thoughts about the Democratisation of Art? Even though you intend to make art accessible for all, what are the challenges that you often come across in this path?

We both completely support anything aimed at making art more accessible to a larger audience. For the longest time, the art world was shrouded within a veil of exclusivity though thankfully that is rapidly changing. A large part of that credit must go to public art movements and also online creators who are finding innovative, interactive ways to simplify art experiences.

Most of our members perceived art as these formal wine and cheese formats or overtly intellectual experiences bound by rules of engagement and appreciation. There is this fear of judgement or asking the wrong questions. But art can resonate with you for multiple reasons – the technique, the art style, the medium or any other. And all of these are equally valid reasons. Honestly, in our opinion, the entire point of art is to simply enjoy it for what it means to you and nothing more, nothing less.

Tell us about your first walkthrough. What was the best and worst part of organising it?

Honestly, it feels like it’s been ages now! Our first walk-through was with the Delhi Contemporary Art Week in 2019. We’d always enjoyed what we were doing but this was the first time we were inviting people to join us for an experience. We chose Delhi Contemporary Art Week 2019 since it gave access to artworks from seven different galleries in one space and thought it might be an interesting format for our first event.

We’d been running our handle for a few months and getting a great response, but honestly had no idea of what to expect at our first event. There was of course the logistics of putting together and structuring an evening that would be fun and interactive but also the anxiety of not knowing if people would turn up. But it was such a treat to finally see an eclectic group including homemakers, professionals, entrepreneurs and creatively inclined individuals from all walks of life come to support us. It honestly gave us confidence to do the many more that have since been organised.

What is the role of digital art in today’s world? Are NFTs a Good Investment in 2023?

Digital Art is definitely ‘buzz-y’ and has opened up a world of possibilities for artists to create and express themselves in ways that were previously unimaginable. This includes computer-generated graphics, AR installations, and interactive art installations. To be fair, it has helped create a broader platform for artists as well as greater accessibility for their audiences who can now be anywhere across the world. NFTs have of course gained a lot of attention in recent years as a means for artists to monetize their works as unique digital assets. And even as the initial hype dies out, it continues to remain an innovative way for artists to create and monetize their work, though their value as a long-term investment is still unclear.

What would you say to someone who wants to enter the art ecosystem and has no prior experience. How would you encourage people from various walks of life to visit art galleries, museums and exhibitions?

Start by exposing yourself and learning about the different artists and movements that have shaped the art world. This could include reading art books or online articles, attending art classes or workshops, or simply visiting local galleries and museums to get a sense of what is out there. There are a ton of online resources as well where you can get to know the schedule for exhibitions and art happenings around your city. This is an easy starting point and as you develop your taste and preference for what appeals to you.

Try and read more about the works and artists that catch your eye. Maybe you like something for its technique, another for its medium, and yet another for the story it triggers for you. Most importantly feel free to ask questions. Most gallerists are extremely passionate people and love those equally passionate about their works.

What are your future plans, especially with regard to including intangible works of art—music, dance, film among other mediums?

Tejshree and I get asked this very often. We did one recently for Bhanu Athaiya, the Oscar-winning costume designer from India. We organised a walkthrough around some of her iconic pieces from her career which was followed by an art workshop that enabled attendees to relive their favourite pieces.

We try not to restrict how we define art for our audiences. To be honest, there are so many exciting experiences that we want to create and share but it gets a little difficult to allocate time since this is something driven by passion. We want to try and create more public dialogues with art and artists beyond the walkthroughs this year and are definitely looking for help with it!

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