The Artist and the Marketplace: Representation of Artistic Labour in Anita Desai's Fiction

This paper explores the intricate representation of artistic labour and the dynamics of the marketplace in Anita Desai’s fiction. Desai’s narratives foreground the complex relationship between the artist’s creative impulses and the economic realities that shape their artistic production and reception. Through detailed character studies and thematic analysis, the paper investigates how Desai portrays the struggles of artists negotiating their identity, autonomy, and survival within a capitalist framework. The artist is often depicted as caught between the purity of artistic expression and the commoditisation of art, revealing tensions inherent in the commoditisation of culture in postcolonial India. Desai’s fiction critically examines the marketplace not merely as an economic space but as a cultural arena where power, class, and social status influence the valuation of art and artists. By focusing on the psychological and social dimensions of artistic labour, the study highlights how Desai’s work critiques the limitations imposed on creativity by market demands, social expectations, and gender norms. The paper also discusses the broader implications of these themes for understanding the role of art in contemporary society. Ultimately, this research underscores the significance of Desai’s literary contribution to discourses on art, labour, and capitalism, demonstrating her nuanced engagement with the challenges faced by artists in a rapidly transforming socio-economic landscape.