CEO Insights Magazine

As a country known for its cultural significance and rich heritage, India’s contribution to the modern as well as the contemporary art world is well known. While there is no shortage of gifted artists throughout the country, they hardly get their due recognition, and financial stability is hard to swallow. While the modern art galleries help the leading artists throughout the country showcase and sell their artworks to the art admirers, many unexplored and gifted artists are deprived of that chance.

Saanya and Shriya Anand, a couple of art admirers & entrepreneurs, have provided a platform for artists from the senior contemporary and under represented modern art fraternity to showcase their artworks through their online art gallery Art & Beyond. With a passion for bringing those fantastic artworks closer to art admirers, the sisters started the venture in 2020. Within just two years, they are now one of the pioneers of online art galleries in India, with business relations with most auction houses and art exhibitions throughout India.

In an exclusive interaction with CEO Insights, Saanya and Shriya shed light on their love for art vision, challenges behind innovating in the online art gallery space and much more.

What inspired you to venture into the online art gallery sector?
Coming from a family of art collectors and gallerists, who have been pioneers in the Indian art industry for more than three decades, we have grown up amidst the masterpieces of great Indian artists, which has been the driving force for us to venture into this sector. With a strong belief that online is the way forward, even for offline Art galleries, we studied the market, people’s artwork choices as well as willingness to invest in it. We started our venture during the beginning of the pandemic with a passion for pioneering the field and a vision to bring admirers closer to

art at the click of a button. ‘Our true objective is not just to sell the artworks, but to celebrate the artists their craft and dedication behind the artworks’.

How would you position Art & Beyond as an online art gallery in the market?
We represent artists from the contemporary genre as well as under represented artists from the modern art fraternity. The artworks can be categorized as affordable yet investment grade. While the majority of the online art galleries across India mostly showcase emerging and decorative artworks, our collection includes artworks from highly celebrated senior artists and mid career-established artists. We invest in the art we believe in by owning the artworks exclusively. This helps us to be confident about the art that we sell.

As Co-Founders, how are you planning on pushing the boundaries of contemporary art while encouraging art collectors to invest in works that will be valued in the future?
Most art collectors have been opting for museums or art galleries for decades to savor and collect their choices of artworks. With a passion for changing this process, we have partnered with one of India’s leading realestate developers by curating exhibitions of our artworks in some of the highend residential properties across India. We are trying to encourage the elites to diversify their investment portfolio into art through this. As we believe that art should not only be viewed through a traditional art gallery but also from the comfort of home, we want to educate and motivate art collectors to invest in artworks by hosting various events.

Throughout the journey, what are the major challenges you have faced so far? How did you overcome them?

While dealing with artworks requires a certain amount of commitment alongside investment it also creates a certain amount of uncertainty among the buyers regarding the quality and authenticity of the works. Being in the art sector for almost three decades we resonate with such queries, mostly from first time buyers. We addressed this issue by providing exclusive private viewings to our clients to enjoy the work at their homes until they are convinced. We set up HD video calls for clients based out of India to see the works up close. With this, we have seen a very high repeat purchase rate over the last two years.

Any advice you would like to provide to the aspiring entrepreneurs in the same field?
Being a gallerist requires immense knowledge, dedication, and a bit of luck charm. Even though the public perception is that you can make quick money through selling art, the reality is much different and harder. More than selling the art works, it's about building trust, which is in fact the most challenging part of this job. However it becomes easier after that. Give priority to building trust and long-term relationships over shortterm personal gains.

Having said that, the advice we would like to give is, instead of following the popular trends invest in the works and artists that you believe in. Love and respect every piece of artwork that you own or sell. The one who buys an art piece from you is not just a mere customer, but the custodian of that piece of art and its story right from its inception.

Shriya Anand, Co-Founder & CEO, Art & Beyond
An ambitious entrepreneur, Shriya believes in living life to the fullest. She completed her graduation from the University of the Arts London, in the field of Fashion & Marketing, and went on to become an expert in the Fine Arts department after completing an intensive art gallerist course from the renowned Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London.

Saanya Anand, Co-Founder & COO, Art & Beyond
A daughter, wife and a mother, Saanya graduated from College of Arts Delhi, followed by a Masters in Art Conversation. Aside from leading the operations at Art & Beyond, she is also the Co-Founder of a family trust for the underprivileged that believes in educating and aiding them towards a better future.