Threshold Art Gallery, which was established in 1997, recently held a show to mark its 25th anniversary. Held at Bikaner House in New Delhi from September 4 to 30, the show — ‘Reflecting the Self’ — was an exploration into self-portraiture. According to the gallery’s founder, Tunty Chauhan, who curated the show, along with Deeksha Nath, the self-portraits which were part of the exhibition acted as a ‘unifying thread between various artistic tropes’. Having emerged from an intense period of seclusion and vulnerability, they critically examined how we view and present ourselves today. They also served as a marker of time, celebrating the gallery’s enduring relationships with artists nurtured over the last two-and-a-half decades.  

“Beyond the self-portraits on view, the curatorial premise embraces a broader understanding of self-representation that encompasses alliterative and metaphorical approaches. The process of creating self-portraits holds profound significance for the artists themselves and for those who engage with their artwork in the exhibition. They are effective means for artists to connect with others, fostering empathy and sparking conversations about the intricate nature of the self,” read the curatorial note. 

Gallery Threshold’s inception is a tale of serendipity; it was an unexpected twist that set Tunty on a path that would define her life’s work. As she reminisces, Tunty recounts, “It was not something I had planned. It was a love for art, craft, and textiles imbibed through exposure while travelling through our rich country to far-flung places as a Fauji kid that seeped into my conscience.” That love found an outlet first in design: she started with designing cane and wrought iron furniture for a home store she had set up in the south-Indian seaside town, Vizag (Andhra Pradesh), in 1997.

Craft and folk art followed and then as she and her husband started collecting art, they felt there was a “huge vacuum” in the city for art. She recollects: “Threshold started with showing the graduating class of students from the Fine Arts Faculty where Ravinder Reddy and V. Ramesh were both professors of Sculpture and Painting, respectively. It was a family road trip to Puri in Orissa that altered the course of Tunty’s life. As she and her husband meandered through the outskirts of the Jagannath Puri temple, they stumbled upon the village of Raghurajpur, a place renowned for its Pattachitra painters. What surprised Tunty was that primarily foreign tourists visited Raghurajpur to acquire Pattachitra paintings after exploring the region’s iconic temples.

This unexpected encounter led Tunty to invite a few of these artists to exhibit in Vizag, setting in motion a chain of events that would ultimately define her life’s purpose and transform Gallery Threshold into a haven for artists and art lovers alike. Subsequently, the gallery moved between temporary and permanent spaces, between thoughtfully curated large scale exhibitions and encouraging individual experimental practices through solo exhibitions; Threshold has supported not only artists but generations of curators and writers since then.

Artistic journeys often begin at the threshold of inspiration and discovery. For Tunty, this concept was integral to the gallery’s identity. She reveals, “Every day is a new day... a threshold into new discovery, experience, and thought.” From the gallery’s inception, Tunty has been driven by her enthusiasm for fresh works emerging from artists’ studios. She thrives on witnessing artists on the brink of their creative journeys, and this has been a defining characteristic of Gallery Threshold; it has been steadfast in its mission to identify and enable future artistic talent. Tunty shares her approach, stating, “We give a solo to a new emerging artist every year, sometimes to an artist who has not formally studied painting. Over the last 25 years, about 25-30 artists have been launched through the gallery. Sometimes, these artists are mid-career.”

This commitment to nurturing emerging artists has been at the core of Gallery Threshold’s journey. Even in its early days in Vizag, the gallery dedicated itself to engaging with students and the next generation of artists and audiences. They expanded their horizons by pushing the physical limits of their space, offering talks, discussions, lectures, and artist interactions to engage a wider audience. This approach has allowed the gallery to explore diverse expressions and materials. The gallery’s exhibitions exemplify this diversity. They represent artists who work with traditional materials and those who create process-oriented works. Rather than shying away from skill-based work or pieces inspired by folk and craft traditions, Gallery Threshold encourages artists to embrace their creative and historic ethos.

In addition to traditional media, Gallery Threshold has showcased sculpture, representing artists such as Rajendra Tiku, Achia Anzi, Shanthi Swaroopini, and Prithpal Ladi, among others. It has also ventured into more experimental art, with outdoor projects at the India Art Fair in 2022, featuring works by Achia Anzi and abstract pieces by artists like Pandit Khairnar, the late Rajendra Dhawan, Shaurya Kumar, and Rahul Inamdar.  Tunty’s journey as a female gallery owner has been remarkable, characterised by her tremendous commitment.  

Over the past 25 years, Tunty has observed significant transformations in the landscape of Indian art. She notes the increasing importance of art fairs in staying relevant and the thought put into curatorial programming by younger galleries. This evolution reflects the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the Indian art scene. As Gallery Threshold celebrates its silver jubilee, Tunty envisions a future in which consistency and quality remain the gallery’s mantra. She underlines that this commitment is what gives the gallery credibility. Looking forward, she sees the gallery extending its reach beyond its physical space to engage with larger audiences. There are also exciting plans for two artists’ monographs in the pipeline. The coming decade holds out the promise of continued growth and innovation. As it continues to evolve and grow, the gallery remains an integral part of India’s vibrant art scene, enriching the lives of artists and art enthusiasts alike.