Move over ATM queue, the AM queue is here!

A motley group of gentlemen was huddled together on the second floor of Sunny Towers early on Friday, chit-chatting with a comfort born of past acquaintance. An acquaintance that comes from spending one November morning, for three consecutive years, outside CIMA Gallery waiting for the doors to open to yet another Art Mela. The three-day art showing of works of artists from across India draws this motley bunch every year for its high quality at dream prices.

Krishnendu Ghosh was in first place for the second year running. The telecom company employee in Sector V was at CIMA a little before 6am, eager to get his hands on paintings by senior artists. “I’ll look for works by Paresh Maity, Ganesh Pyne and Sanatan Dinda,” said Ghosh, for whom this was the third Art Mela outing. He was joined in the queue by other Art Mela day one regulars Sushil Chowdhury, a businessman, retired Mumbai resident Deepak Mitra and city businessman Aditya Rungta.

They spent the hours before CIMA opened at 11am on Friday discussing — and debating — everything from the weather to demonetisation and, of course, art. “Didn’t you pick up a Paresh Maity last year? Well, I hope you’ll leave one for me this time,” Mitra, who brought his annual winter visit forward just to make it to the first morning of Art Mela, told Ghosh.

As the hands of the clock inched closer to 11 and the queue started to wind its way down to the floor below, the early birds took up pole position to make a dash for the corner displaying works of artists like Jogen Chowdhury, Ramananda Bandyopadhyay, Paresh Maity, Lalu Prasad Shaw....

Q FOR ART NOT ATM: Art enthusiasts, Art Mela regulars, first-timers... all fell into queue just before the clock struck 11 and the shutters of CIMA Gallery opened for the three-day mela on Friday. The first six in queue? (R-L) Krishnendu Ghosh, Jyoti Chatterjee, Sushil Chowdhury, Aditya Rungta, Deepak Mitra and Subhobrata Ghosh

FASTEST FEET FIRST: Krishnendu Ghosh, who had vowed to Metro last year that he would retain his first place at Art Mela 2016, kept his word. He was not only outside CIMA at 6am but he also did an Usain Bolt (above) yet again to the coveted corner of senior artists. He bagged yet another Paresh Maity as a result of his first-mover advantage. “I love Paresh Maity’s work (below) and this is the second I have picked up from Art Mela,” said Krishnendu, who will try to come back on Sunday, the last day of Art Mela, to try and pick up some more

DEBUT DASH: Trailing Ghosh in the art race were Jyoti Chatterjee (right) and Sushil Chowdhury. This was Jyoti’s Art Mela debut and he had “saved up to buy paintings here”, said the telecom engineer. If Jyoti was there from 6.20am, friend Sushil Chowdhury, an Art Mela regular, arrived soon after and zeroed in on a Subrata Gangopadhyay painting

ON THE OVERLAP: Subhobrata Ghosh, another regular at Art Mela, was at number six in the early-bird line but once the race began, he sprinted past competition to end up fourth in the senior artists’ corner. “For me art is something that catches my eye... I’ll buy what I like,” said the IT professional from Gariahat

2 FROM TORONTO: Srimati Sen and John Dalrymple, both from creative backgrounds, dropped into Art Mela for the first time. “I’m in the city to visit family. We both love art. He likes art that juxtaposes the modern and the traditional and I like art that’s colourful and tells a story. Living abroad, it’s extra important to support Indian artists and provide them with exposure. Plus, when I take these back to Canada, I’ll have a piece of home with me,” smiled Srimati, who lives in Toronto.

Text: Chandreyee Chatterjee and Deborima Ganguly
Pictures: Rashbehari Das and Pabitra Das  

Art Mela is on at CIMA Gallery from 11am to 8pm, Saturday & Sunday