Explained: As India Art Fair returns, a brief history of art fairs and their significance

The IAF was conceived in 2008 by Neha Kirpal, a graduate in political science from Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi, who worked in public relations before studying marketing at the University of Arts in London. Kirpal persuaded her employers to give her a loan of Rs 1 crore for what was initially known as the India Art Summit, and planned the first edition in just four months.

When the announcement was made at a Delhi hotel, much of the Indian art world was sceptical of the business model Kirpal was proposing, but she still managed to get 30-odd galleries on board.

The summit started at Pragati Maidan, primarily as a trade platform where the public also interacted with artists, and workshops and interactions were aimed at educated discussions.

While Kirpal sold her majority stake in the fair in 2016, over the years, the event has grown in size and impact. The 13th edition, which will continue until May 1 at the NSIC Grounds in Okhla, will have over 70 exhibitors, including art institutions, museums, and private foundations.

Role of fairs in art

Centered around trade and networking, an art fair is essentially a commercial platform. Art galleries and enterprises rent booths to exhibit their collections, with the aim to sell to multiple categories of clients.

Organisers usually do not interfere with what a gallery chooses to exhibit, apart from collaborative sections where they might make curatorial interventions. For instance, at the India Art Fair, apart from the booths, there are live performances by artists, outdoor projects, curated walks, and book launches.

The other major format of a cultural art event is the Biennale, which, compared to fairs, is more focussed on cultural exchange and discussions, and is a showcase with a curatorial vision.

Art fairs in history

Religious festivals are seen as the oldest precursors to art fairs. These gatherings, which were often annual, and centred on religion and commerce, saw the representation and display of rare items, often from faraway places. Festivals of this kind were held in the Roman Empire, and under the Greek and Han dynasties.

In medieval times, one of the earliest art fairs was hosted in 1460 in the courtyard of the Church of Our Lady in Antwerp, where manuscripts, paintings, sculptures, and illustrations were displayed. The 17th and 18th centuries saw the rise of sample fairs aimed at advertising and promoting new items.

The birth of the modern-day art fair is traced to the Cologne Art Market, started in 1967 by two gallery owners based in Cologne, Germany. It was conceived as a trade fair where German galleries set up temporary stalls to exhibit works.

The following year, a similar event started in Basel, with the participation of international galleries. Since then, their numbers have only increased. In 2015, The European Fine Art Fair Market Report estimated that art fair sales amounted to approximately EUR 9.8 billion in 2014, 40 per cent of total dealer sales.

World’s biggest art fairs

The first art fairs opened in Europe and the US, but according to UBS’s Art Market Report, there were almost 300 international art shows in 2018 across every continent, with about 52 per cent of the fairs being held in Europe.

While New York’s annual Armory Show has showcased modern and contemporary art since 1994, Art Basel in Switzerland is widely considered to be the biggest contemporary art fair. Art Basel established Art Basel Miami Beach in 2002, and also expanded to Asia, with Art Basel in Hong Kong since 2013.

The Frieze Art Fair in London expanded to New York in 2012. South Africa has Art Rio, and major art events are held during Singapore Art Week and Art Dubai.