Veteran artist Shobha Broota: ‘Art is not a money-making profession’

At 79, veteran artist Shobha Broota is as active as any newbie in the industry and she has no plans to slow down.  Her work was on display  at the  India Art Festival (IAF), which was back after almost a two-year-long hiatus due to the pandemic.  “I have been helping people for years and years. I have been a teacher in school, college, and in my studio. At this time and age, I get requests to come and help so wherever I go, they (artists) need some inspiration and I help them with that. Also, at any point if they need my help in their profession or hobby, I give it to them,” she told Firstpost and added that this is why these exhibitions are important too. “I think all of us need that push and these exhibitions that we hold also help others to get inspired and that’s why it is important to show your work also,” said Broota who has exhibited extensively in India and abroad including national galleries in India and Malaysia, and several private collections.  She has also participated in residencies in Kuala Lumpur and Perth, among other places, and was invited by the Guyanese government to paint the portrait of the country’s former president Chaddi Jagan.   Talking about Indian Art Festival  going offline after a break of two years, she said that it was an absolutely beautiful moment to see the vibe returning to galleries and exhibitions.  “This year is special because we are coming back after a gap of two years. So, energy was in full swing."  India Art Festival has 30 stalls displaying paintings and sculptures, along with two dedicated stalls for individual sculpture artists, with over 150 sculptures being on the show. More than 100 master artists and 250 known and emerging artists have their work displayed at the festival, making up a total of 3500 works of art. Several art galleries like Gallerie Splash and Art Nouveau in Gurgaon, Gallery Pioneer and Vision Arts in New Delhi, Easel Stories in Noida, Studio3, Rhythm Art in Mumbai, and Rabi Art Gallery in Santiniketan, are currently displaying works by their master artists. Recalling the time when there was absolutely no work and the world was at standstill during a pandemic, Shobha Broota says that they were very calming days for her as an artist. “I was fortunate not to get into that unhealthy mode except for the fact that I was going through all these problems knowing about my friends and dear ones so it was a shaky thing for me but then I knew that if I keep doing my work, it will help me convert negative into positive so that was the plus point so then I started working.  I really worked very hard in those days and that saved me and helped me psychologically,” she said.  Being a veteran in the industry who has seen generation after generation of artists coming and going, she said there are definitely big changes in the art industry.  People do art for being happy, for understanding their expression, and for the sake of using their good time to do creative work.  Shobha Baroot believes that money is not important. “There are no hard things about it. We all have suffered that era when there was no money for art but there were other alternatives also that we could have joined and make money but why did we do art? That Why is answered when you work and work and work and you see that okay this is what I am supposed to be doing, money or no money,” she said.  “But yes you can’t throw  away from the idea that we don’t need money, we all need money and with art especially where we need things to work with so we will need money and in life also we need money so I am not saying that money is not important. However, you don’t have to become a slave to it. The idea that we need money doesn’t have to pull you. If you do good work, money will come and it is a by-product of what you do so that is what it is. “ If you say that you can’t paint because you need money so there are other alternatives like commercial art which you can do that side by side."  She believes that art becomes a profession when you earn money out of it and if it doesn’t give you money then you are doing it out of a hobby.  “Art is a very serious hobby because it gives us more than money. We receive peace of mind, happiness, and satisfaction so I think of art like that,” said Shobha Baroot who is also trained as a classical Indian vocalist before studying fine art. She also has some words of advice for the young generation.  “I think if they are not happy, they should not be in the field of art. Only if you love art with all your heart and soul, you should be in this profession." Nivedita’s work experience includes covering fashion weeks in Milan, Pakistan, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Dubai, and award functions like IIFA, and TOIFA.  Read all the Latest News _, _ Trending News _, _ Cricket News _, _ Bollywood News _, _ India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook _, _ Twitter and Instagram _._