Across 135 exhibitors, India Art Fair in Delhi brings together modern icons, experimental practices and participatory art
The 17th edition of the India Art Fair has opened at NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla, bringing together 135 exhibitors, modern masters, contemporary artists and immersive, participatory installations.
The 17th India Art Fair has opened in Delhi with 135 exhibitors and a strong focus on immersive and interactive art. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha) An open kitchen invites artists to take turns cooking, albeit conceptually through sound and movement, transforming the everyday act of nourishment into moments of collective imagination. Nearby, an installation of woven charpai mats encourages visitors to sit, linger, and talk, while a 20-ft urban forest with more than 200 native plants suited to Delhi’s climate foregrounds questions of ecology and sustainability.
An “Extinction Archive” by artist Kulpreet Singh catalogues over 900 endangered plant and animal species, underscoring the urgency of the environmental crisis.
As the 17th edition of the India Art Fair (IAF) — held at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Okhla — opened on February 5 with 135 exhibitors, visitors were welcomed not only by works from some of India’s most recognised modern and contemporary artists but also by projects that invite engagement and reflection. “International attention on South Asian art has reached an inflection point, and India Art Fair meets that moment,” said Jaya Asokan, director of IAF.
Exhibition by various artists at India Art Fair, Okhla NSIC ground, in New Delhi on Thursday, February 06, 2025. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
Inside the tents at the fair, some works drew more attention than others. Projjal Dutta, partner at New York-based Aicon Contemporary, who has participated in the fair for 16 consecutive editions, said, “One big change over time is that initially art would go from here to the United States and we would only send funds back to India, but now India has also emerged as a big market.” At his booth, apart from works by contemporary artists such as GR Iranna, Arunkumar HG, and Jagannath Panda, there is also MF Husain’s painting Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne — a tribute to filmmaker Satyajit Ray — displayed.
Other booths with modernist highlights include works by Somnath Hore at Crayon Art Gallery, MV Dhurandhar and PT Reddy at DAG, and Madras moderns Velu Viswanadhan, P Perumal, and Achuthan Kudallur at Ashvita’s.
In addition to featuring works by leading artists including Jamini Roy, J Swaminathan, Krishen Khanna, and FN Souza, the Dhoomimal Gallery also displays 10th-12th century stone artefacts. While works by leading contemporaries such as Subodh Gupta, Shilpa Gupta, Atul Dodiya, NS Harsha, Sudarshan Shetty, and Nikhil Chopra are on display, younger talent is also drawing notice at the event. Most young artists have presented works punctuated by sheer experimentation with material and thought.
Exhibition by various artists at India Art Fair, Okhla NSIC ground, in New Delhi on Thursday, February 06, 2025. (Express photo by Abhinav Saha)
At Latitude 28, for instance, artist Juhikadevi Bhanjdeo has used safety pins on velvet in the installation River to reflect on the irony of how “safety” pins that safeguard can also cause harm, mirroring how “constant adjustments” are inevitable in life.
At 079 Stories, artist Vipul Prajapati brings together drawings on matchboxes with collectables from across the world, all displayed in enclosed cases. Meanwhile, Jaipur-based Prashant Pandey has woven discarded cigarette butts into a delicate installation at Gallery Maskara.
Making their debut at IAF, twin artists Rohan and Roshan Anvekar reflect on societal pressures of the present day through their work at Gallerie Nvya. “We have been visiting IAF for years, and now we are looking forward to receiving feedback on our work here,” the duo said.
At a time when art has increasingly embraced participation and interaction, that impulse also finds expression at the IAF. At his solo booth, Shailesh BR presents, among other works, the interactive machine You Will Become A Star, where a pixelated panel erupts with yellow lights in response to movement.
Presented by DMINTI New York, Sonal Ambani’s The Last Stamp reflects on the changing nature of communication. Triggered by Denmark recently ending its postal service, the work features a postbox constructed from stainless-steel timepieces that invites visitors to write postcards, highlighting the human impulse to connect.
There are also stories from the Sittilingi Valley in Tamil Nadu, where Lambadi embroidery artists present “Threads of Home”, a set of narrative textiles, at the Porgai Artisans Association booth. One of the artists, Sindhu Kamaraj, said, “Inspired by our immediate environment, the works tell the story of the community.” The fair concludes on February 8.
India Art Fair is on at NSIC Exhibition Grounds till February 8. Nearest Metro Station: Govindpuri. Tickets:bookmyshow.com
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