Over 130 Artists, 3 Days & 1 City – India’s Only ‘Anti Art-Fair’ Is Back

Art is meant for everyone, but not everyone has access to high brow art galleries and exhibitions that showcase beautiful creations. So what’s a young and broke art lover to do? It isn’t easier for budding artists either. Getting your work showcased is a tough business, and making a profit off that can be even more problematic.

There’s also a need to redefine how we view, understand and receive art. To broaden the scope of acceptable mediums and methods and to innovate when it comes to expression. The freedom to do these things is limited and inaccessible to the majority of the artist community. Things may seem bleak but there are game-changers across the country that are trying to bridge the gap between independent artists and an audience hungry for something unique.

One such refreshing initiative is The Irregulars Art Fair (TIRAF). This ‘anti art-fair’ aims to give independent artists a platform that allows them to breakaway from the already established geographies, hierarchies and market guidelines that characterise the present-day art world. But why are they doing this? “To challenge the traditional cultural landscape of the art market. To activate spaces that would not normally be used to show art by having low-cost exhibition spaces and low-cost entry for art patrons, public and practitioners alike we aim to widen the arts audience in India and broaden the dialogue of what constitutes value and economy in the 21st century,” they say.

This time around all exhibitors will be asked to put forth their perception of altered reality. Every creative or group will be given a room that they will use as a canvas and/or platform and let their creativity run wild. Not just artists, TIRAF will also be accepting entries from performers, filmmakers, muralists, zine makers and graphic designers. The creative or group of creatives will be required to submit a minimum of five and maximum of 15 images along with a 200 word-long description of their style of work and plan.

Whether you’re a left of centre installation artist or an experimental muralist, there’s space for everyone here. So, here’s calling out to all you weirdly wonderful artists out there.

Show dates: January 30, 2019 – February 5, 2019

Visit TIRAF’s website for more details.