The first major on-ground art event of 2022 will focus on Indian and South Asian art, with an emphasis on up-and-coming artists, NFTs and affordable price tags. But the heat can play bad
The first major on-ground art event of 2022 will focus on Indian and South Asian art, with an emphasis on up-and-coming artists, NFTs and affordable price tags. But the heat can play bad
It is summer in Delhi, and only getting hotter. But the organizers of the India Art Fair (IAF) are not disappointed. The annual event may miss its winter curtain call this January due to Omicron’s growing numbers (last year’s pandemic decimated), but under the leadership of its new director, Jaya Ashokan, the 13th edition is finally ready. .
“With 77 exhibitors from 13 cities and 63 galleries, “the entire exhibition space will be air-conditioned and adequately shaded outdoor areas,” says Ashokan, adding that “the response from our regular collectors and community has been great. There’s a lot of enthusiasm. It’s been 25 months since people participated in such a big way.
A snapshot from IAF 2020 | photo credit: special arrangement
don’t miss
, In Memoriam – The Art of Silence: Works of late artist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Satish Gujral Burnwood Series It will be screened for the first time since his death in March 2020. The inspiration for the discovery of this sculpture came during the festival of Lohri when he noticed the changing texture of orange cinders.
, Apparao Gallery Duration: The Chennai-based gallery will display works by British sculptor Stephen Cox, which he created in his studio in South India, as well as an interesting collection of mixed media works on the Panditwadi region in Kashmir. “Panditwari is an area in Srinagar where most Kashmiri Pandits lived until they were driven out during an exodus in the early 1990s. In 2006, when the wounds were still raw, George K. Went there armed with a camera to capture the beauty and drama of a forgotten time,” says Apparao. “We decided to re-exhibit these photos 15 years later, hoping that the world would understand and make the connection between political ambitions, ambitious brutality and humanism.”
“It is a great necessity to come back to life as usual in the cultural sphere. In this edition, a lot of galleries are pinning their hopes on the IAF, says art critic, curator and poet Ranjit Hoskote. “The fair has two sides. One is the business side, where people want to connect with collectors, network and do business. And then there is a statement of morale, and that aspect, according to me, is even more important. IAF is about artists and art lovers coming together in a real way; It is a celebration of the resumption of friendship and the inner life of the art world. Regardless of the timing, I have a feeling that people will try to come. ,
establishment, and a little shadow
It’s the things small and big that make up the IAF – like its huge tent. The largest canvas at the fair, spread over 1,500 square metres, is designed by 24-year-old Anshuka Mohapatra, who won the Open Call for Artists in collaboration with The Gujral Foundation and Artdemic, a platform for up-and-coming creators. from South Asia. Mohapatra uses phrases from seven Indian languages that speak of everyday beauty and blow them away.
Digitally printed phrase from Anshuka Mohapatra’s tent | photo credit: special arrangement
“The aim of my design is to preserve the quality of life in the post-pandemic. The creative process involved connecting with people from different places and understanding the essence of Indian contemporary poetry. The poems helped me incorporate multilingual words into the design, and it translated into a space where everyone belongs,” says Mohapatra, who is pursuing her Masters in Printmaking at the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts at the University of Hyderabad .
At the entrance of the NSIC ground, a large 50-foot mural titled future is fame, by Bengaluru-based Aravani Art Project, a trans-artists collective, welcomes visitors. The vibrant artwork echoes his spirit of initiative – a binary free world. There is also a large, intricate sculpture made of scrap metal pipes by artist Narayan Sinha (supported by the Kala Anand Trust), depicting the challenges of the pandemic and an optimistic future.
future is fame Mural painting by Arvani Art Project | photo credit: special arrangement
digital gain
At its heart, however, IAF is a trade fair. After two years of online art sales – the one VS Gaitonde sold for Rs 39.98 crore at Kesnerart’s summer auction last year, becoming the most expensive Indian artwork to have sold globally, while at Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art auction, Bhupen Kakkar’s rediscovered painting was picked up for around ₹12 crore – collectors eager to see the art in person. or are they? “I am optimistic, but I am also worried. I am not sure how many people will come,” says Sharan Apparao of Apparao Gallery in Chennai, which is showing in the Indian Air Force. “The visitors also need to be in a good mood. is [to buy], April’s pick is a terrible one, but we have to go with it,” says Gallerist, who plans to go early and go late so she misses the scorching hours of the day.
In the three large air-conditioned exhibition halls, there are works presented by Space Studio ranging from bold, origami-inspired hanging sculptures by Ankon Mitra (presented by Gallery Art Positive in a mirrored room), and metalwork installations by Ayesha Singh and Abhimanyu Dalal. For more delicate, kinetic sculptures by textile artist Isha Pimplekhare.
One of Ankon Mitra’s pieces. photo credit: special arrangement
IAF Parallel
The ongoing event alongside the main festival will see several galleries celebrating the legacy of India’s most iconic artists. For example, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art will host two centenary exhibitions: The Birth of a White Rose honoring Somnath Hore, and the Syed Haider Raza Centenary Exhibition in collaboration with the Raza Foundation at Bikaner House. The Wadhera Art Gallery will showcase two solo shows by NS Harsh and Manjit Bawa as part of the Defense Colony Gallery Night. There will also be exhibits at the Nature Morte (showcasing the works of Sehr Shah) and indigenous art at the India Habitat Centre.
The Young Collectors Program is a highly anticipated event, with over 50 new artists working across a variety of mediums. This not only helps young collectors buy their first artwork (between ₹40,000 and ₹4 lakh), but also encourages early career artists.
The diverse line-up comprising seven galleries across four cities will be on display in the IAF for the first time this year. Among them is New Delhi-based Terrain.art, which stands out with its NFT art. The fair will explore the crypto art space for the first time, with exhibitions and talks held at The Studio, a new space with an emphasis on experimentation. One of the highlights: the massive wall installation of the TechKart platform B Fantastic with interactive AR elements.
Heterotopias – the world within the world, an nft by the prophet | photo credit: special arrangement
Mixed media artists Jiten Thukral and Sumir Tagra will launch a set of interactive books and game editions as part of their ‘Aur Sangrah’ initiative, which aims to disseminate value-based knowledge. Book, weeping farm, touches upon the agrarian crisis in the country – highlighting that “farming in India must first develop with the understanding of farmers, and the government must find ways to modernize practices and climate change while working with and within communities”. change must be taken into account”. Thukral says. Their game version, 2030 Net Zero, will be hosted at The Studio. “Gaming as a medium of making art is scalable and allows for participation and encourages knowledge sharing,” Tagra says. “Game design for social change is an approach that can enhance the urgency of subject matter in ways that are unique and have value.”
On Show: India Art Fair; NSIC Grounds, Okhla, New Delhi; From 28 April to 1 May visit: indiaartfair.in
The freelance writer is based in Delhi.