Manoj Israni acquires Anish Kapoor sculpture 'Mirror' at record Rs 6.5 cr

Manoj Israni, a prominent art collector and connoisseur, has gradually been building a vast and diverse collection for the past decade-and-a-half. And the latest piece to join his stellar collection is an Anish Kapoor stainless steel sculpture titled ‘Mirror (Brandy Wine, Gladstone Red)’.

Israni acquired the sculpture at online auction house Astaguru’s ‘Southeast Asian Contemporary Art’ edition held on June 24 and 25. Auctioned for Rs 6.5 crore (inclusive of margin), the artwork became the highest price achieved for an Indian contemporary artist’s work in an auction conducted within India.

The Kala Ghoda-based boutique auction house curated a wellresearched catalogue and, for the first time, included works from artists based across the Southeast Asian belt.

Prior to its debut Southeast Asian auction, Astaguru conducted its first rare books auction in May. The book auction was one of India’s biggest, with lots that documented the country’s history. And there is more in the pipelines — an exclusive memorabilia auction in July followed by watches, vintage jewellery and classic cars.

An avid collector

Israni, president of Blue Cross Laboratories Pvt Ltd, is open about his preference for modern and contemporary art. He believes that contemporary art deserves nurturing and motivation in India, as it is underpriced and underexposed.

“It is essential to support contemporary art in India,” he says. “The disparity and divide between the two leading art streams, namely modern and contemporary, is not healthy for the future of the art culture. There has to be continuity and constant incubation for art practices and practitioners.”

According to Israni, unlike other art hubs such as London or New York where contemporary art is given equal emphasis, in India, the movement is comparatively nascent. “However, the works represent the concerns of today in an affable manner. Thus, it is necessary to enable the chronicling of our present,” he adds.

A well-known philanthropist, Israni recently joined the ranks of the Arch Klumph Society through his generous donations towards The Rotary Foundation in Mumbai.

When asked about his passion for art, Israni says, “I can’t put what I feel into words — it’s my passion and it amplifies my heartbeat to say the least. It’s the complete process of researching about art, acquiring it and even hanging it, which makes the experience special. When I purchase art, my emphasis is on the work’s emotive attributes and the relativity I experience. Having said that, it is imperative to have a good eye for art, and have one’s ears to the ground in order to be aware of emerging talent.”

‘Mirror (Brandy Wine, Gladstone Red)’ is the second Anish Kapoor creation Israni has procured. He plans to exhibit his collection in a museum, which he plans to build as his gesture of giving back to society.