What Are You Wearing For The Forbes Art Award?

Ananya: Hi Pa.

Me: Hi my love.

Ananya: What are you wearing for the Forbes Art Award?

Me: What do you mean what am I wearing and what do you know about Forbes anyway young lady!

Ananya: It's everywhere on FB. How can I not know.

Me: Alrighty smarty pants but you are much too young to be on Facebook or to be reading business magazines so out with it.

Ananya: Actually my best friend called me all excited and said "Ananya my dad read in Forbes that your dad has the best contemporary gallery exhibiting young artists. So cool". 

I think you should totally wear a black tuxedo with a black bow tie when you receive the award - just like Daniel Radcliffe on the red carpet, but you have to shave and lose the pony and…

Me: Time out my love. Time out. 

First of all I am not receiving any award. At least not yet. This is just the nomination so let's not fuss. Second of all, even if I do win I will likely not be there to receive the award so there is no question of what I will be wearing.

Ananya: Come on dad you can't be serious. My best friends dad will be there as will so many other dads. You HAVE to be there and you have to WIN. It will be so uncool if you don't. What will all my friends think of me if you lose.

Me: Sweetheart in my books you win every time you've done the best you can. And you don't need anyone else to tell you that you have.
I am so sorry that we live in world that has created a culture that places so much stock on winning.

Ananya: That's so boring dad. I though you were Mr. Competition - you have so many sports medals so why not add an art medal to the wall. 

Me: Yes but that was ages ago and unlike sport, art is way too subjective. When I ran and won it was because I ran faster than the next person in the race. When I played football our team won because we scored more goals then the other team. So it was a clear decision. In art there are no winners or losers. There are only artists those who love art.

Ananya: Please dad you have to promise to be there.

Me: Only if you promise that win or not you will always be proud of yourself.

Ananya: Ok promise but don't forget to shave :-)

Ananya is 12-years old and is looking forward to the Forbes Art Award that will be announced on 31st January in Delhi. Her dad is 44 and could not care less. 

http://forbesindia.com/awards/artawards/award_categories.html