PERCEPTION – AN ART STORY

Harisa was just finishing her painting when the curator of the gallery came and stood behind him.

“Edward, are you lost?” Harisa asked her friend.

“You know exactly well that I have come here to look at the master piece. The exhibition starts tomorrow and I need to place it before it opens in the morning,” said Edward, a little annoyed

“Well, my dear friend, don’t worry. You will have your painting before the exhibition starts,” said Harisa.

“Where is it? Have you even made it? Harisa, you take these exhibitions way more casually than you ought to,” said Edward.

“You just take care of my other painting. This one I shall place it myself,” said Harisa.

“You haven’t made it yet. I know you too well to tell,” said Edward and walked away from Harisa’s studio.

The gallery had been open throughout the night as workers placed Harisa’s painting steadily on the walls. Harisa had in the last few years of her painting built a reputation of being unpredictable and that was her USP. It had made her popular and hundreds of curators were behind to have her display her paintings at their galleries. Edward was her best friend from college and it was because of this reason that she exclusively exhibited her paintings only at his gallery.

In the morning, there was a soft opening with the grand finale being the auction at night.

“What the hell is that?” asked Edward.

“I was out of ideas for the master piece. Oops!”said Harisa.

“Oops! That’s what you give me. Harisa, is this like your take on geometry? You know you always failed at it. An utter disaster! We won’t be able to sell it and I will go under,” said Edward.

“This will sell. You wait and watch. And I can’t understand why you can’t see the brilliance in it?” said Harisa.

“You have outdone yourself this time. Where is the brilliance in it? I need some wine,” said Edward.

When the auction started, Edward was visibly nervous. His gallery had not been doing so well and Harisa was donating all the money from the exhibition for the gallery. One by one all the pieces were sold for good prices. At last, the auctioneer got the masterpiece out. When the bidding was started, there were no claims for a few seconds. Then quite suddenly, Harisa stepped onto the podium.

“Hello everyone. I know you all have been gossiping about this piece. Many may have assumed that I have lost my marbles. But before you judge, allow me to explain,” saying so, Harisa inverted the painting and said, “I call it Perception.”

The gallery stood dumbfolded for a few minutes. Throughout the day, everyone had passed the ugly painting, art aficionados, experts, but none had realized that Harisa had knowingly put an inverted painting in front of everyone. What now stood in front was the softness and most humane portrait of a woman holding her infant child in her arms. It was a picture of a mother comforting her baby.

“I owe you an apology. You were right on both accounts,” said Edward.

The gallery was shutting with Edward and Harisa amongst the last few to leave.

“About what old sport?” questioned Harisa.

“The painting and its price. It sold the highest,” said Edward.

“It's all about perception my dear friend. It’s all about perception,” said Harisa as both of them walked out of the gallery.