Interview
Navneet Raman
Interviewed by Vittoria Bonifati
2015
Varanasi
At what point did you get interested in art?
When I was 12 years old, I started to get interested in photography and this became my entry to the world of art.
Can you tell us about Kriti, your gallery, and your vision?
The gallery is a place of interaction among people and between people and people to feel comfortable. Anyone is welcome, whether they come in to look at art or to sit in the garden and just take some time for themselves. We would like to establish a literature cafe, where we have interesting talks, film screenings and workshops. It’s not a profit-oriented idea, but it would give the place more atmosphere and invite people to spend more time here. That’s when the real interaction happens. In India there are not too many places like this, especially away from the metros. Furthermore, Kriti means ‘creation,’ the gallery is also thought of as a place where people become more creative, and thus, less aggressive... I’m taking about violence in humanity. For example, if youngsters interact with art they might find another language to help them communicate emotions. I think this makes them ‘softer.’ I try to set an example and hope that it has a replica effect, from the gallery, to the neighborhood, maybe the city of Varanasi and who knows... so many people from all over the world come to visit Banaras, they might take this back to their countries, as well. ¶ Having said this, I have specific parameters for the gallery’s programme. I will show the finest art that I can bring to Banaras. I look at art as such, and not as Indian Art, German Art, American Art and so forth.
Interviewed by Vittoria Bonifati
2015
Varanasi
At what point did you get interested in art?
When I was 12 years old, I started to get interested in photography and this became my entry to the world of art.
Can you tell us about Kriti, your gallery, and your vision?
The gallery is a place of interaction among people and between people and people to feel comfortable. Anyone is welcome, whether they come in to look at art or to sit in the garden and just take some time for themselves. We would like to establish a literature cafe, where we have interesting talks, film screenings and workshops. It’s not a profit-oriented idea, but it would give the place more atmosphere and invite people to spend more time here. That’s when the real interaction happens. In India there are not too many places like this, especially away from the metros. Furthermore, Kriti means ‘creation,’ the gallery is also thought of as a place where people become more creative, and thus, less aggressive... I’m taking about violence in humanity. For example, if youngsters interact with art they might find another language to help them communicate emotions. I think this makes them ‘softer.’ I try to set an example and hope that it has a replica effect, from the gallery, to the neighborhood, maybe the city of Varanasi and who knows... so many people from all over the world come to visit Banaras, they might take this back to their countries, as well. ¶ Having said this, I have specific parameters for the gallery’s programme. I will show the finest art that I can bring to Banaras. I look at art as such, and not as Indian Art, German Art, American Art and so forth.