India Art Fair 2023: A Window to the Creative Side of South Asia

The Quint met with art lovers and curators to understand what makes the exhibition special for them.

Attendees lined up in a queue to see MF Husain's 30ft x 10ft painting 'Valmiki's Vision of Sunderkand', currently on display at the India Art Fair 2023.

(Photo: Shireen Khan/The Quint)

The four-day India Art Fair is back with its 14th edition, giving a platform to emerging artists, and to art enthusiasts who want to discover and explore contemporary art from South Asia. The Quint met with and spoke to some of the art lovers, art professionals, and curators to understand what makes the exhibition special for them. Sukanya, a designer and curator from New Delhi, frequents the exhibition as much as possible. “My relationship with the India Art Fair is a very private one, I think. I try to come here alone so that I can have time with just me and the art. This can be a very manic and social place, and you end up meeting a lot of people which sometimes makes it difficult to see the art,” Sukanya tells The Quint. 

Nalini Sharma and Neeta Verma, art lovers from Delhi and close friends, have been attending art fairs and exhibitions together for the past 50 years. “The director, Jaya Asokan (Fair Director, India Art Fair), is my daughter-in-law, and the way art is being presented and curated is getting tremendous year by year, and the coverage of artists from all over the world is just an exciting thing to witness,” says Neeta Verma.  

For Tomas and Lucas, a married couple from Brazil, the India Art Fair is a window into the country and its art. “We landed in Delhi today, and decided to come to the art fair because we are art writers and it’s a good way to learn the different facets of the country,” says Tomas.  

To people who haven’t lived in Delhi for a long time, it can be quite challenging to engage with galleries and artists, not as buyers but simply as art enthusiasts. “It’s hard to find information about the Indian art scene online, and being here, we are surprised to find the number of art galleries based in Delhi that we have missed out on in the past couple of months. It's a good window to the creative and artistic side of India,” says Lucas. 

An art walk being conducted by a volunteer at the India Art Fair. The team at the fair conducts these walkarounds frequently, to aid the attendees in their exploration of art.

Prateek Arora, a screenwriter and science fiction enthusiast, presents his exploration of storytelling in newer formats like AI-generated images. “I have been writing for a long time, and I love science fiction and horror, so a lot of my art reflects the themes and stories that I have been thinking about. This technology has enabled me to visualise these themes on my own. The narrative images that I create might eventually become the starting point for something that tomorrow can also be films,” Prateek tells The Quint.  

"I have a date here in 26 minutes, so I am really excited to be here," says Vinayak Akash Mehta, a media professional and art enthusiast.

“Artists have been at the forefront of certain theoretical modes – the materiality, the archives, the history – everything compels me to come here. I think about historical evidence, while looking at the ways in which certain expressions are made on a canvas,” says Sudarshana Guha, a professor of History at the Shiv Nadar University.  

Amatullah, a design student from Udaipur, has been following the India Art Fair on Instagram for a long time. “This is how I am coercing my father into developing a relationship with art, the way I have. And yes, I have coerced him into coming here with me too,” says Amatullah. 

Hari Om from Rajasthan is an art teacher and artist, who works out of Delhi. “I made this outfit for the India Art Fair especially; I look forward to coming here every year. I know I will get to learn something new and appreciate the thought that goes into creating something, even if I don’t fully understand it.” 

Rohit Chawla and Swati Bhattacharya's installation titled 'Hair and Her' encouraged conversation around the cutting of hair as a mode of rebellion for women against those who seek to control them.

The installation also features a glass case where attendees can drop their hair after cutting it.

An attendee cuts her hair at the 'Hair and Her' installation.

MF Husain's statue and painting 'Valmiki's Vision of Sunderkand' was a major crowd-puller at the India Art Fair.

An attendee experiences VR Art at the fair.

Ridhi Agarwal, an architect from Delhi has been visiting the India Art Fair for some time. Like many others, she appreciates the different styles and mediums that the artists work with. “Luckily it was a second Saturday, and my kids wouldn’t stay without me. So, this worked out perfectly,” says Ridhi. 

The 4-day fair ends on Sunday, having showcased a variety of mediums and formats and bringing in art lovers from across the world under one roof.