Eikowa Art Gallery, a new artspace enriches Hyderabad’s brush with art

Located in Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad, Eikowa Art Gallery celebrates its first anniversary. Founded by Vaishnavi Murali the gallery is a 4,000 sq ft physical space to democratise art and ease art purchasing.

In the fast-paced, expanding city of Hyderabad, Eikowa Art Gallery is a much-loved addition to its art circuit. With an idea to reach out and help the audience get the art they, Eikowa — a Greek word for image — Art was launched by its founder and curator, Vaishnavi Murali as an online gallery in 2015 and opened its first physical gallery on the first floor of Lock Decor Home (LDH) in Road No 31, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad in September 2022; it now celebrates its first anniversary.

Eikowa‘s founder and curator, Vaishnavi Murali, was featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 list (2017). She explains why she chose Hyderabad to open this niche space: “We live in Gurgaon and when this opportunity (a physical space) in Hyderabad presented itself to us, we said it is great. Hyderabad has a big market that wants to buy art.”

Launching a physical space is part of Eikowa’s vision to democratise art and ease art purchasing. The gallery has ample space — 4,000 square feet, to be precise — for art lovers to engage with art leisurely, and hopes to be a hub for young buyers looking for different art. Currently showcasing Vinita Das Gupta’s works, the gallery has had exhibitions of artists Shrikant Kadam, Dinkar Jadhav and Bhuwal Prasad, who never had solo shows in Hyderabad. “Art lovers have been supportive of the local artist community. But there are many new-age, young buyers looking for something more contemporary that they can relate to.”

Eikowa holds exhibitions for two months at a time, to give ample time for tourists, art enthusiasts and artists to experience the gallery. “When an artist has put in her/his heart and soul to create so many works, it is important that we give that time and space to them.”

The inspiration to launch Eikowa as an online gallery was to create an art conversation and add value to the art world. “Lots of people hesitate to walk into galleries as they don’t know how to begin; in terms of understanding what to buy, the artist’s work and price. It’s easier to converse online and clear doubts,” points out Vaishnavi.

The team has also harnessed technology for its art initiatives: In 2018, it launched an AR feature (withdrawn now) and Blockchain Technology (2019, still on) to certify artworks in addition to a certificate that one gets from the artist.

Eikowa promises to carve its niche among art aficionados aficionados new experiences.