A champion of art and among the world’s ‘Top 200’ collectors, Komal Shah deep dives into her journey in and vision for building the renowned Shah Garg Collection, celebrated for its emphasis on women artists, with Nishad Avari, Head of Department for South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art at Christie’s New York. The conversation promises to give rare insight into the intersection of art and philanthropy and the pivotal role of conscientious patronage in shaping the future of the global art landscape.
Generously supported by JSW and curated by researcher and arts manager, Priya Chauhan, ART ACROSS —— celebrates the power of critical dialogue and the critical need for celebrating the arts. Spanning key issues in art, design and architecture from a variety of perspectives including from institutions, market experts, philanthropists and creatives, the series aims to foster an inclusive platform to explore contemporary culture, with South Asia at its centre. All talks will also be conducted in Indian Sign Language.
Komal Shah: Originally from Ahmedabad, India, Komal Shah migrated to the US in 1991 to study computer science in California. After completing her Masters at Stanford, she obtained an MBA from the Haas School of Business at Berkeley, eventually holding positions in the executive suites of Oracle, Netscape, and Yahoo. In 2008, Shah left the tech industry to focus on philanthropic pursuits. She then began developing the Shah Garg Collection with her husband and tech entrepreneur Gaurav Garg, solidifying a vision for the collection’s emphasis on women artists in 2014. Today, they are focused on amplifying the voices of women artists and artists of color through the Shah Garg Foundation.
Nishad Avari: Nishad Avari is Head of Department for South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art at Christie’s New York, with over eighteen years of experience in the auction world in India and internationally. Prior to his role as a specialist in South Asian art, Nishad worked with the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, during the seminal international exhibition, Picasso: Metamorphoses 1900–1972. Nishad also contributes articles and essays on South Asian art and artists to exhibition catalogues, scholarly journals and news publications.