Yamini Mehta, in search of hidden treasures

Driven, passionate and irrevocably drawn to the spirituality of Indian art, Yamini Mehta is one of the most vociferous advocates of all things related to the subject. For just a bit of perspective, Yamini works with one of the biggest auction houses in the world, Christie's as their Director of Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art. In conversation with Mehta, it's quite clear that this is not just a job to her. In fact in her own words, "It is like being a treasure hunter". Helping unearthed the hidden works of some of the most renowned Indian artists to being a part of momentous times in their career, Yamini gets to experience it all. In conversation...
Yamini MehtaWhat is it that connects you to India?
My extended family and upbringing and the values that they have imparted through the years.
 
What keeps the Indian in you alive?
I am fortunate to visit India often and meet Indians from all walks of life which keeps the connections strong.

What is it that draws you to Indian art?
I started working at Christie’s in the field of Indian antiquities. The spirituality that is part of the act of creation, and the combination of beauty, skill and thought has always been an attraction of Indian art.

Working with the prestigious Christie’s have there been any momentous times that you can recall for us?
There are so many great times to remember. In our own department I have been fortunate to meet and interact with some of India’s greatest artists such as MF Husain, SH Raza and Tyeb Mehta to name a few. We have seen huge record prices made for all of three of them at Christie’s and have handled iconic works by them in exciting salerooms. When Tyeb Mehta’s work Mahishasura was sold, it became the first work of Indian art to cross US $1 million but what was wonderful was the applause for Tyeb Mehta who travelled out of India for the first time in 30 years to be in the saleroom.

Who would you rate as the best Indian artists till date?
There are so many  important Indian artists spanning Modern and Contemporary art that it is difficult to say who are the ‘best.’ What I can say is that we have set many auction records for many of the leading artists from these periods whose works are highly sought after: from Tyeb Mehta, FN Souza, Maqbool Fida Husain and Syed Haider Raza to Vasudeo S. Gaitonde, Subodh Gupta, Ram Kumar, Rameshwar Broota, N.S. Harsha and Jitish Kallat, to Ashim Purkayastha, Sunil Gawde, Imran Qureshi and Pors & Rao (Soren Pors, B.1974; Aparna Rao, B.1978).

Are there any contemporary Indian artists whose work you find interesting?
I find so many artists interesting that I cannot name them all and there are so many whose works I love. However, the artists whose work I live with include: Bharti Kher, Chitra Ganesh, Minam Apang, and Zarina Hashmi amongst others.

Given that you live in London, do Indian traditions still hold good?
Luckily with family here, we enjoy our Indian festivals, especially Diwali. We go to pujas, many people in London host Diwali events, raas-garbas which are lots of fun.

What is it that keeps you motivated?
The quest to find a great work of art, an undiscovered gem that is coming to light. It is like being a treasure hunter.

When the going gets tough, what is your mantra?
Keep calm and carry on.

If you weren’t doing what you do, what would you be doing?
I cannot envision not doing something in the arts or in the creative fields but when I was younger, I imagined being a painter or an opera designer.