Inspired by a desire to make art feel more approachable, 'Paper and Play' at Gallery XXL reimagines the traditional gallery experience as a space for browsing, interaction and discovery. Featuring prints, posters, books, zines, toys and artist publications by a diverse group of international and Indian artists, the exhibition prioritises accessibility, participation and play, inviting visitors to engage with contemporary art on their own terms.
This February, I was privileged enough to visit the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Over five days of walking through Fort Kochi, I experienced art in an incredibly immersive and experiential way. Yet, in some respects, art also felt inaccessible. Some works seemed so abstract that I struggled to fully grasp them or arrive at my own interpretation, and attempting to do so sometimes felt pretentious.
This may sound like a champagne problem, because it is, but I believe art should always feel accessible. It should belong as much to its audience as it does to its maker.
Paper and Play, the latest exhibition at Gallery XXL, Delhi moves beyond the white walls, hushed conversations and the unspoken feeling that you should already know how to engage with what you're looking at. Instead of treating the gallery as a space to quietly observe, it invites visitors to browse, interact and, most importantly, play.
The exhibition centres around paper, as a starting point for creative encounters. Bringing together prints, posters, works on paper, books, zines, games, toys and artist publications, the exhibition explores how paper-based practices can extend beyond the wall and into everyday life. The result is a show that feels tactile, accessible and deeply participatory.
The curatorial premise is to ensure that art should not feel intimidating. By creating multiple points of entry for visitors of varying ages and levels of familiarity with contemporary art, Paper and Play encourages audiences to engage on their own terms. Visitors can browse books, discover independent publications, collect affordable artworks or simply spend time in a space designed for curiosity rather than expertise.
The exhibition brings together an eclectic roster of artists, publishers and collectives from across the globe. Highlights include collectible works by the anonymous street artist Daku, prints by German artist Christoph Florin, stencil works by AIKO, political posters by Debashish Chakrabarty and Priyanka Paul, typographic experiments by Beer Pitch and urban interventions by Indian artists DO, ZERO and Khatra. Alongside them are artist books, zines, paper sculptures and publications by independent presses including Reliable Copy, Offset Projects, Marg, Roli Books, Blaft Publications and several others.
What makes this edition particularly exciting is its evolving nature. Every Thursday, new books, prints, objects and publications will be added to the exhibition, ensuring that no two visits are exactly the same. Weekend programming and events will further transform the gallery into an active community space.
In many ways, Paper and Play feels less like a conventional exhibition and more like an invitation to discover. It offers a reminder that art can and should be joyful, approachable and a part of everyone's everyday life.
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