Vis-a-Vis
Art Gallery, Baroda

Kochi Muziris Biennale 2018

Opportunity

Increase awareness about the Gallery and the artists by conducting an art exhibition on the sidelines of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2018-19

Outcome

By creating awareness and attracting viewers to the exhibition venue the gallery could sell a large number of art pieces as well as get invited to exhibit in New York.

Background

The Kochi Muziris Biennale is a biennial art exhibition that attracts visitors from all over India and abroad. In order to popularize their gallery as well as sell some of their pieces of art, Vis-à-vis Art Gallery in Baroda decided to conduct an art exhibition in Fort Kochi at the same time as the Kochi Muziris Biennale. The exhibition was not part of the Biennale. The task was to attract visitors, mainly tourists from abroad, who come for the Biennale to visit the Vis-à-vis exhibition. The location of the exhibition was in the heritage part of the old town a few kilometers from the main Biennale venues where the most visitors came. The gallery was in an old warehouse converted into an art hall located within a courtyard. It was therefore not directly visible from the road.

Challenge

How do you draw people to an exhibition by a gallery that is not known in the city, by artists no one is familiar with and in a location that isn’t easily visible?

Action

Through different activities, such as visitor outreach programmes, near the venues and the main hotels in the locality we were able to educate tourists about the uniqueness of the exhibition and its location. Many other activities such as including the venue in group tours were planned.

Result

The Client could sell a number of art pieces exhibited at the exhibition. More pieces were commissioned at the venue by interested buyers. Vis-à-vis also got an enquiry to conduct an exhibition at an art gallery in New York

Our exhibition in Kochi during the Kochi Muziris Biennale was very successful. The strategy that Evoke Ideation employed to promote our exhibition got a steady stream of visitors to our gallery on all days.

Mr. Vijay Patel Managing Director, Vis-à-Vis Art Foundation, Baroda