India Art Fair, which began in 2008, hit a roadblock in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown large parts of the world.
With just over two weeks remaining till the 2023 edition, festival director Jaya Asokan will be expecting a return to the pre-Covid momentum, as galleries, artists, and importantly, collectors return.
What to look forward to
Over the years, the Fair has evolved to showcase works by artists ranging from Jitesh Kallat and Anish Kapoor to young artists like Bengaluru’s Devika Sundar whose award-winning design for BMW X7 will be featured at this edition.
There will also be residencies, talks, and workshops during the four-day fair, and visitors can see exhibits by 71 galleries and 14 institutions from all over India and elsewhere under one roof. To make it easier for those who plan to visit the Fair, we bring you a list of works/artists which shouldn’t be missed:
Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe Prints
For the first time, Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe prints are appearing at the India Art Fair, thanks to the international art house Bruno Art Group.
In 1962, Warhol began to silk-screen Marilyn Monroe’s face onto canvas on backgrounds painted sage blue (the first original ones), and later in blue, red, orange.
Incidentally, the ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’ was sold for $195 million in 2022 - it was replete with botches and blank spaces. The later ones repeated in 1964 were cheerier and finely done. This is the chance to see a Warhol Marilyn up close!
Antonio Santin’s Amazing Carpets
Hyper-realistic carpets painted by Spanish artist Antonio Santin will be displayed by Galerie Isa. His textured painted rugs made with oil paints are almost 3D in appearance. According to the gallery, the series evolved from the artist’s interest in the opacity of fabric as a device to obscure with abstract patterns and textures.
The flat colour field is subverted by Santin’s willfully crumpled rugs. But this is not all. Watch the paintings carefully and notice how they bring the background into the foreground while a clearly discernable shape seems to hover beneath the surface.
Hema Shironi’s Embroidered Narratives
Shironi is a multidisciplinary artist from Sri Lanka who did her MFA at Lahore. Currently residing in Killinochchi, Shironi’s art practice tells stories of colonization, civil war, displacement and migration. She does this by using embroidery, mythological imagery, and installation. There is the use of red threads which are suggestive of trauma and violent memories.
Vikram Goyal’s Metal Art
Entrepreneur Vikram Goyal’s interest in brass has resulted in sheet metal going through repousse, spinning and hammering to become exquisite pieces of art. Goyal's works have references to other art forms like Pichwai paintings, Mughal architecture, and more. The brass sheets are hammered and sometimes inlaid with semi-precious stones to create fine art. Goyal works with skilled artisans to create art and furniture that are a product of traditions and contemporary aesthetics.
Indigenous Art
From Kalamkari (Ajit Kumar Das) and Kalighat (Kalam Patua) to Bhil (Bhuri Bai) and Gond (Bhajju Shyam), a whole range of intricate indigenous art will be on display. Interested viewers will have the chance to see less-known art forms like the traditional wall art from Hazaribagh district in Jharkhand, and Jogi art from Rajasthan.
Interview with Jaya Asokan, Festival Director of India Art Fair:
What’s your take on the art produced during the pandemic?
The pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges for the Indian art world, but it has also led to an outpouring of creativity and resilience. Artists have used their talents to convey the emotions and experiences of this difficult time, and their works have taken on new meaning and relevance.
One of the most striking examples of this is the explosion of digital art and artists. This shift will be widely reflected at the Fair in a large and expanded Studio which will house arresting digital art projects by India Art Fair’s first ever Digital Artists in Residence - Gaurav Ogale, Mira Felicia Malhotra and Varun Ogale, each responding to the theme ‘Finding the Extraordinary in the Ordinary’ in the most ingenious ways.
At the same time, the pandemic has also highlighted the importance and power of diverse representation in the art world. At the fair, this has led to a call for greater representation of underrepresented voices and artists from marginalized communities who have used their work to speak out against social, political and ecological issues and injustice.
In 2023, the India Art Fair Talks programme is titled Align & Disrupt and curated by independent arts educator and curator Shaleen Wadhwana. Each conversation brings together powerful and rising young artists and arts professionals to discuss important questions, from representation to philanthropy, patronage, disability and sustainability, and collectively disrupt the status quo to shape a more inclusive art ecosystem. For the first time, the key learnings from the talks will be documented in an action-plan which will be widely circulated and made accessible to the public.
The action-oriented spirit will also be carried in India Art Fair’s first-ever poster zine titled Fire in the Belly featuring 8 women artists and creative powerhouses. This is a way for us to make a statement about the art world. Featuring internationally recognised artists, activists and writers like Anikesa Dhing, Aravani Art Project, Aqui Thami, Dhruvi Acharya, Meena Kandasamy, Rithika Pandey, Shilpa Gupta and Zeenat Kulavoor, the zine is meant to be torn, pasted and used to spread feminist messages towards creating a more equal world.
How has your approach to the fair changed post-pandemic?
Post-pandemic, our strategy has undergone a transformative shift. We’ve expanded beyond the 4-day event as a bold champion of South Asian art, promoting and celebrating the stories of a diverse array of powerful artists, voices, and art forms, including those from lesser-known parts of the region all through the year.
How optimistic are you about sales/footfalls this year?
India has recently become the world’s fifth-largest economy, with the expansion of the art market having grown in parallel, and IAF at its helm. The Indian art market is on course to have its best-performing year ever, based on the first six months of FY23. With a turnover of USD 75.8 million as of 30 September 2022, according to Indian Art Investor's Indian Art Market Report, FY23 is likely to exceed FY22. The recent success of Mumbai Gallery Weekend is also testament to the growing curiosity, enthusiasm and dynamism in the market.
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