When the winds of change blow
should we be dropping anchor
The search in the creative space
is not for moorings

Contemporary art is a restless spirit. To begin with it resists definition. Describing its boundaries is a challenge. Its perpetrators are free spirits as well, attempting to expand the boundaries of experience and surprise us with new ways of seeing. Providing a platform or a context to view art is no less a challenge. An art gallery has an onerous responsibility. In the way it deals with artists. In the way it presents a show. In the setting it provides to a viewer.

At Sakshi we are taking stock for the first time for we realize that more than a decade has passed. We probably started off as most galleries had. We looked around at the existing galleries to understand the business model. Traditional approaches in the Indian context were

-	a single location
-	in a single city
-	a family enterprise
-	in a neat room full of lights
-	dealing with a handful of artists
-	with recognizable work

The emphasis was on a neutral well located space that could become a comfortable habit. This would foster a regular clientele who would come expecting to view the recognizable work of loyal artists.

We started our operations in Chennai in much the same way. But much seems to have changed along the way. The points of departure are many.

-	For a start we have had a 3 location foray till date : in Chennai, Bangalore and Mumbai. For good measure we also started traveling shows to other locations, like Delhi, Calcutta and recently overseas.
-	Our entity is a Limited Company. From the outset the personal touch was underlined with a professional approach.
-	The gallery premises started as well- located accessible rectangles and moved on to large rambling multi-level barns. The current Mumbai gallery has daunting dimensions with three levels of space over 10000 sq. ft.
-	A Lending Library of Artworks was attempted to bring Corporates into the fold. A number of Corporates started to make space for works of art in the workplace.
-	dealing with a handful of artists
-	And curated shows with well documented catalogs were made the norm.

A lot of this has found resonance with a number of artists who have come on board and provided tremendous support. The result was a number of path breaking shows, installations and events. In the end it is the artists and their work that has continuously challenged us.

Going against the grain is fashionable. We are not. A decade's doings could be ascribed to a well thought out plan logically executed. Let us be honest

We viewed no maps, drew no charts, read no star signs
Down this well forked pathway
We are just the driven.