Why 2026 may be India Art Fair’s most ambitious edition yet

In what is being touted as one of its most ambitious programmes, in its 17th edition IAF will see a record 133 exhibitors — including 94 galleries, regional and international art institutions — 26 of which will make their debut. While modernists such as MF Husain, SH Raza, B Prabha, Meera Mukherjee, P Perumal and TRP Mookiah will share space with contemporaries such as LN Tallur, Prabhakar Pachpute, Sohrab Hura, Lubna Chowdhary, Ravi Agarwal and T Venkanna, the fair will also see South Asian and diaspora artists such as Huma Bhabha (David Zwirner), Anish Kapoor (Galleria Continua), Adeela Suleman (Aicon Contemporary) and Jagath Ravindra (Saskia Fernando Gallery).
“The emphasis is always on presenting new bodies of work. We are cognizant of what has been shown in the last year or two, and encourage galleries to take risks, rethink their presentations and showcase works that speak to the present moment, ensuring that even familiar names feel freshly encountered,” says Asokan.

While gallery booths are designed to showcase a cross-section of artists, more in-depth presentations of individual practices will be seen in the ‘Focus’ section. Here, solo presentations allow for a deeper engagement with artists’ practices. This year’s Focus includes Bharti Kher (Nature Morte), Khadim Ali (Latitude 28), Jayasri Burman (Art Alive Gallery), Ravinder Reddy (Apparao Galleries), Naina Dalal (Gallerie Splash), as well as younger artists such as Shailesh BR (Vadehra Art Gallery) and Thandiwe Muriu (193 Gallery). “One of India’s biggest art events, it’s exciting to see how the platform has grown and the role it now plays not only in showcasing art, but also in the international exposure it offers and the kind of public engagement it generates,” says Burman. In a shift from her primarily figurative practice, she will be presenting abstracts that draw from her own poetry. In an outdoor project, her husband and artist Paresh Maity will be showing a 200-foot installation, comprising 27 sculptural figures, made with repurposed wood and metal pipes.

The other outdoor exhibits this year include Patiala-based Kulpreet Singh’s installation rooted in the imbalanced relationship between man and ecology, an installation by Delhi-based Deepak Kumar that expands the possibilities of material and form, and Sri Lanka’s Raki Nikahetiya’s Forest II that uses the Miyawaki method of dense planting to present a living ecosystem of native flora. Serendipity Arts returns with The Charpai Project, conceptualised by Ayush Kasliwal and AI artist Goji, with viewers invited to contemplate while reclining on a traditional charpai.
While the fair will feature an expanded ‘Design’ section, the ‘Institutions’ section will see first-time participants such as Sabyasachi Art Foundation Gallery, Ardee Foundation and Mapin Foundation. Though the focus remains regional, the event also offers the opportunity to encounter international art. Among the 30 participants are Marina Abramović (Saatchi Yates), Ai Weiwei (neugerriemschneider, Galleria Continua) and Yayoi Kusama (David Zwirner, Ota Fine Arts).

Radha Charan Bagchi’s Birth of Buddha (Photo by DAG)

With the business of art in focus, and in addition to the fair’s many collateral programmes across India, this year will also see an expanded engagement with its Young Collectors Programme, including a dedicated event at Triveni Kala Sangam. “What began as a focused initiative has now grown into a year-long programme, expanding in scale, geography and ambition, with a country-wide presence and international collaborations. The growing number of young collectors reflects shifting demographics and changing dynamics within the collector base — one that is engaged, research-driven and interested in dialogue rather than purely transactional encounters,” says Asokan.

There will also be emphasis on art awareness and education through an Inclusion Lab, panel discussions, workshops and bilingual tours. “Learning, access and inclusivity are core values of what we do at the IAF. We have expanded our learning initiatives, student labs and hands-on workshops, placing the audience and students from diverse communities at the heart of the fair. While we may be a commercial fair, there is a strong non-commercial aspect to our work. All of this encourages dialogue and discussion, helping inculcate an engagement with art among younger audiences,” says Asokan.