Meet The SHEROES: Payal Shah and Bindal Shah, Artezvous

Founded in 2014, Artezvous is a platform for “theme-based art and photography shows by varied groups of upcoming and established artists”. The venture has already hosted the work of over 90 artists, and is growing from strength to strength. We spoke to Payal Shah and Bindal Shah, the founders of Artezvous.

Edited excerpts:

Did you plan to be where you are today? How did you discover your interest in visual arts?

Payal Shah: I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I went to Birla Public School, and continued my education at H.R.College of Economics and B.K. Somani Sophia Polytechnic, where I got a diploma in interior design and decoration. I worked with an interior design firm for a year.

I got married and had the privilege of living in various countries such as Japan, Israel and Belgium over a period of five years. In 2003, my family moved to New York, where we lived for ten years before returning to India. In 2011, I went to Westchester Community College, NY, where I got an associate’s degree in visual arts.

Bindal Shah: I have been an avid art enthusiast since I was a toddler, I am told. My childhood memories are of me sitting with lots of stubs of crayons, and using every available piece of paper to draw and colour on--even if they were newspapers! During my schooling, art was a favourite subject, and I dreamt of being an art teacher when I grew up. I am grateful to my parents who fuelled the fire and kept my passion alive.

To study art in college was a given, and I think the five laborious years in the Sophia Polytechnic studying commercial art were the best years of my life. I may not have been able to pursue art in its entirety in the many years after I graduated, but was always involved in a creative endeavour--designing garments, jewellery and accessories. In the last three years, I have been able to explore and rediscover my passion for fine arts through the various shows we have put together at Artezvous, and I hope this journey continues.

Could you tell us about your journey with Artezvous? How did the idea come about?

Payal Shah: When I moved back to India, I started to paint as a pastime. It then occurred to me that there must be many other artists who paint as a hobby. My sister, Bindal, and I brainstormed on many ideas on how to showcase these talented artists. We then decided to go ahead with the idea of hosting an exhibition. It was the best way to display art.

Next, we made a list of people who we knew painted and spoke to them about whether they would be interested in participating in this new collective. Everyone we talked to was very enthusiastic about the new venture and wanted to be a part of it. Both our families were extremely supportive, and that’s how Artezvous was born.

Our first show was at Cymroza Art Gallery--we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We named the show “Rebirthing”, because that’s what it was for us--a rekindling of our passion. 

Bindal Shah: At our first show of Artezvous, there were 14 artists exhibiting, and we were overwhelmed by the great response. Next, we decided to plan a show for young artists--ages 10 to 18. The energy at their show surpassed all expectations. They were delighted to see their work on the wall with the gallery lighting. They enjoyed sharing space with the other artists, and that created many new friendships.

Due to the great response from the first few shows, we realised we were offering people a chance to showcase their work, and wanted to continue to present that opportunity to them. Word spread and now we have 90 or so artists who exhibit with Artezvous on a rotational basis. The Artezvous family continues to grow, and we feel privileged that we are a part of the their journey.  

What have been some of the most challenging and inspiring moments in your journey?

Payal Shah: Luckily for us, we have had very few challenges. On the other hand, we have had many heart-warming and inspirational stories. We've seen tremendous change in the artists from when they started three years ago till today. The most rewarding moment is when our young artists experience a confidence boost after participating in the shows. 

Bindal Shah: The journey so far has been challenging, but more than that, it has been inspiring. It’s been filled with special moments. It is great to see young talent evolve, and that they’ve evolved because we had presented them with this opportunity to showcase their talent. 

What’s next for Artezvous?

Just like everyone else, we are taking baby steps. We are very happy with a group format, so we hope to continue that. We will continue to have a theme for every show, which does challenge the artists, but allows for perception and creativity to build. We plan to increase the number of artists and the shows per year. Artezvous also plans to venture to other cities in India, giving our artists exposure to other audiences.

Where do you see yourself in the coming years?

Payal Shah: Artezvous inspires to grow, hoping to reach out to many more artists and photographers. We wish to spread our wings, and we see ourselves hosting exhibitions all around India. In the coming years, we see ourselves doing more collaboration with other artists who are not painters and photographers. We see ourselves as the largest art collective in India.

Bindal Shah: We have taken a step further by launching the Artezvous website. This will help the artists display their works on a larger platform, and the buyers and sellers to connect with each other.

What are some of your must-haves?

There are no must-have's per se for art. Art is something that requires passion, interest, talent built over time. Its a medium where one can express their thoughts and ideas too.

What message would you share with our readers?

There’s an artist in everyone. I would highly encourage anyone who dabbles in art to put themselves out there and showcase their talents. One must always try to pursue their passion. Always try to give it at least a shot, because you won’t know until you try.

Collated by Paroma Sen