An art gallery to showcase one’s work. That too free of cost. The Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) has gifted artists and photographers a space to exhibit their work without pinching their pockets.

The Smart Art Gallery was inaugurated on August 6 by housing and transport minister Firhad Hakim. The 450sq.ft. floor area may be small but is prominently located — on the Major Arterial Road, right opposite City Centre 2.

“The plot was getting encroached upon and overtaken by weeds and parthenium bushes. We erected a boundary wall around the plot and constructed a house which we thought would have a high commercial prospect because of its prominent location. An e-auction for rent did elicit a lot of response but we kept one room in the building for an art gallery,” said Hidco managing director Debashis Sen.

The space will be on offer free of cost for art and photography exhibitions for a week. The inaugural event was an exhibition by artist Ashoke Mullick, a New Town resident. Local residents will be given priority, Sen pointed out.

Commenting on the name, Sen said the gallery was smart as alongside fixed panels, it also had mobile panels which can also be rearranged as per the requirement of the exhibitor. The removable panels can display the exhibit frames from both sides.

The gallery will harness the power of technology to display digital and online art as well. “We may be starting with a physical exhibition but we will move to augmented reality by using a projector. That way we can display even 400-500 exhibits even in limited physical space,” he explained.