In pictures: Attracting audience attention at the India Art Fair

Raja Ravi Varma’s first commissioned family portrait at the India Art fest in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei‘s “Brainless Figure in Glass” is a self-portrait conceived through modern technology and manual sculpting. The work is showing at the Gallerie Continua booth, which is also showing an Anish Kapoor conclave work in red, and a recreation of Nikhil Chopra’s performance Inside Out.

Ai Weiwei’s Brainless Figure in Glass at the India Art fest in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

India-born, London-based artist Raqib Shaw is known for his opulent and intricate paintings in vibrant colours. At the fair are his works from the “Allegory of Melancholy” series that delves into the past, being presented by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.

Raqib Shaw’s “Allegory of Melancholy” at the India Art fest in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Crayon Art Gallery dedicates an entire booth to one of MF Husain’s last finished paintings, a 300-square foot panel based on the epic Ramayan, titled “Valmiki’s Vision of Sunderkand.” A Husain statue of the artist standing besides is also popular with the shutterbugs.

One of MF Husain’s last finished paintings, Valmiki’s Vision of Sunderkand, at the India Art fest in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Known to explore issues of urban development, in the wall installation “Life, Death and Miscellaneous at Aicon Contemporary”, Delhi-based artist Gigi Scaria talks about the proliferation of objects and structures in a built environment.

Gigi Scaria’s Death and Miscellaneous at Aicon Contemporary showcased at the India Art fest in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

An outdoor project, in “How to Cook Bombay Duck in Various Ways?,” Mumbai-based artist Parag Tandel reflects on human greed and its impact on ecology. The sculptural installation looks at the seven small islands that constituted Mumbai before it grew into a mega metropolis, and also through it the loss of sea life and its impact on the lives of the Koli fishing community.

Artist Parag Tandil with his exhibit, “How to cook Bombay Duck in various ways” at the India Art Festival in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

One of American artist Andy Warhol‘s most recognised portraits, Bruno Art Group has on display silkscreen on paper from his Mao series. His source for the images was reportedly photographs that illustrated the cover of Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong.

Andy Warhol’s series on Mao Zedong at the India Art fest in New Delhi. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Part of the digital-artists-in-residence space, in Log Kya Kahenge artist Mira Felicia Malhotra discusses the oddities of Indian family life. The audience is encouraged to view the moving images with an iPad.

NS Harsha’s Elsewhere is home I am just Here at Chemould Prescott Road, is a Hanuman langur “pointing us towards the mysteries of the universe”. At Sakshi Gallery booth Lakshman Rao Kotturu turns to three playful monkeys in fencing wire and steel to project manipulation.

Being featured at the fair for consecutive editions, Sudipta Das’s doll-like sculptures — crafted from layers of handmade Hanji paper made using the Korean dakjee doll-making technique — return this year to feature in the installation The Family at Latitude 28 gallery booth.

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