India Art Fair (IAF), the most exciting and the most anticipated event for art lovers is back in Delhi at the end of this month. Considered to be one of the most important art event in India, IAF witnesses a footfall of lakhs of visitors every year.
The art market has seen a tremendous boost in India along with an increase in collectors since the event’s inauguration. Over the years the art fair has seen a stream affluent families coming from all over the country to appreciate art and buy it at the event, increasing the income expenditure on art by people.
The aim of the event is to connect Indian art with the rest of the world. India accounts for only 1% of the global art market. The fair’s international director Zain Masud said in an interview that it should be seen in the context of a huge interest in India from the West.
IAF was earlier called India Art Summit in 2008 by Neha Kirpal. The fair includes paintings, installations, sculptures, photography, video art, and all possible forms of art. Its exhibitors include art galleries from all over the country as well as a few renowned global ones. It also has an art education series where guided walks are conducted by curators and students of art history.
IAF is divided into different curated sections for the audience, the Focus showcases solo presentations, the Platform section acts as a springboard for emerging artists, art practices and collectives from South Asia, under Institutions leading cultural organisations and foundations from the region will be exhibited, Artists in Residence featuring specialist run sessions ranging from drawing and illustration to paper and zine making, the first time this year. Installations, sculptures, live photography project called PHOTOINK by Martin Parr displaying the then captured images across the fair in Outdoor Art Projects.
There will be talks - public platform for dialogues and discussions, performances, film screening on the theme of Queering Culture, bookshops with books, graphic novels and zines, etc as well as art supplies, stationery complemented by workshops and masterclasses for young students and collectors. Workshops will be on drawing and illustration to paper and zine making by artists in residence.
The fair’s title sponsor BMW Group India will return to the fair to exclusively showcase the 4th BMW Art Car created by Andy Warhol with the BMW M1 in 1979, followed by ‘The Warhol Talk’.
Date: 30th January - 2nd February
Time: 31st Jan & 1st Feb, 2 pm – 7 pm; 2nd Feb, 10am – 6pm
Venue: NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla Industrial, New Delhi 110020
You can buy tickets here.
If you enjoyed this we suggest you read