India Art Fair, the leading platform showcasing modern and contemporary art from India and South Asia, closed its landmark 15th edition to reports of robust sales and strong attendance. Taking place at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi, the fair featured a record line-up of 109 exhibitors, including 72 galleries, 23 institutions and 7 debut design studios, among others. Led in partnership with BMW India for the eighth time, the fair brought together galleries, collectors, institutions, artists, designers, organisations and visitors alike, fostering crucial opportunities for dialogue, discovery and exchange. With creative voices at its centre, the fair was a platform for local and international audiences to discover the best of the art scene from South Asia and beyond, ranging from established artists and designers to the emerging talents of tomorrow.
Jaya Asokan, Fair Director, India Art Fair: “This edition of India Art Fair has been our most ambitious to date, with a record number of participants showcasing a wide spectrum of creativity from across the region. Galleries have been making sales at all price points to both established collectors and a new millennial generation who will be instrumental in shaping the art market of the future. Beyond the exhibition halls, our programme of commissions and projects has activated the fairgrounds and we are proud to have brought together such a prestigious group of experts taking part in our talks programme and workshops. As the art world continues to expand beyond its traditional centres and looks to the Global South, we remain laser-focused on our mission to amplify the voices of the most exciting artists from the region and to support the expansion of South Asian creativity.”
Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst, Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group: “In its 15th year now, India Art Fair has established itself as a global hub and platform within the fine arts and beyond. Accomplishment should not only be measured by sales or the number of international guests – both of which were a great success! – but by the many artists roaming the aisles, the galleries giving it their all, the conversations and the possibility of art to create meaning. All related events across Delhi speak volumes of the power of art celebrating diversity and heterogeneity.”
Patrons included Kiran Nadar, Roshni Nadar, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sunil Munjal, Asha Jadeja Motwani, Feroze Gujral, Komal Shah, Vinita Chaitanya, Kalyani Saha, Malini Ramani, Shalini & Sanjay Passi, Lekha Poddar, Rajeeb and Nadia Samdani, Smita Prabhakar, Eric Garcetti, Anurag Tyagi, Sethu Vaidyanathan, Aditya Birla and Asim Chauhan.
The fair also welcomed presentations from more than 15 leading cultural festivals, collectives and foundations in the Institutions section, including Antumbra, an immersive installation by artist Jitish Kallat drawing from Nelson Mandela’s long imprisonment jointly presented by the Foundation of Indian Contemporary Art (FICA) (New Delhi) and JSW Foundation (Mumbai).
Throughout the fair week, galleries reported robust sales to both established and emerging collectors highlighting the strength of the Indian market. Many noted that India Art Fair provided an important platform for them to engage with new collectors.
India Art Fair’s inaugural Design section showcased limited edition and handmade collectible design by 7 pioneering South Asian studios, adding another facet to the fair and further solidifying its position as the leading platform for art and culture in the region. The participants included Ashiesh Shah (Mumbai), de Gournay (London / Paris / New York / San Francisco / Los Angeles / Beirut / Shanghai), Gunjan Gupta (New Delhi), Karishma Swali & Chanakya School of Craft (Mumbai), RooshadSHROFF (Mumbai), Studio Renn (Mumbai) and Vikram Goyal (New Delhi).
The 16th edition of India Art Fair will take place at NSIC Grounds, New Delhi from 6 – 9 February 2025.
