Inside An Indian Art Collective That's Making A Case For The Unpolished & Unfinished

In a cluttered world obsessed with perfection, First Draft carves out a quiet space to celebrate the raw, unfiltered beginnings of creativity. What started in 2018 as an experiment among a group of artists in Delhi has grown into a movement that values process over polish, offering a refreshingly unorthodox take on what it means to share art, ideas, and stories.

The group’s philosophy is simple: everything begins as a draft. Whether it’s a scribbled note, a half-finished sketch, or a fleeting thought, these fragments often hold more honesty than finished work. “We didn’t want to showcase final pieces,” they explain. “Instead, we thought, why not invite people into the messy middle — the part where creativity really happens?”

This sentiment took physical form in their first pop-up, a modest two-day exhibition in Delhi. There were no spotlights or polished displays — just raw, unframed pieces presented in an unassuming space.

By 2020, the pandemic forced First Draft to rethink its approach. Large gatherings gave way to smaller, intimate sessions called “First Draft·ings”. These meetings weren’t about showcasing anything. Instead, they became spaces for participants to connect over shared themes.

One gathering revolved around food. Attendees brought dishes laden with history: fermented mustard water from Mathura, bread dumplings reimagined from leftover loaves, or sweet chapati scraps infused with cardamom. Each dish carried a story, sparking conversations about sustenance, memory, and resilience​.

Another session, centered on walking, explored how movement shapes our interactions with public space. Participants meandered through Delhi, reimagining urban landscapes as more than just fixed structures​.

Unlike conventional art collectives, First Draft eschews the spectacle of institutional displays. Their gatherings resist the urgency to produce. They emphasize slowing down, lingering, and allowing spontaneity to take hold. “It’s not about showing up with something polished,” they say. “It’s about being present, letting things unfold.”

This ethos is echoed in their gatherings, which are deliberately fluid. Some sessions have prompts but the outcome is never predetermined. A jar of mustard seeds, an old toy, or even a torn photograph can spark hours of reflection and dialogue. The act of coming together becomes the art​.

Over the past seven years, these intimate moments have fostered an organic community. A WhatsApp group of over 100 participants now serves as a living archive of ideas, collaborations, and projects. This sense of belonging extends beyond the art world, drawing in people from all walks of life.

Through these gatherings, First Draft has shown that art doesn’t have to be confined to galleries or tied to rigid expectations. It can be as simple — and as profound — as sharing a meal, taking a walk, or sitting in silence.

First Draft isn’t about drafts in the literal sense. It’s about embracing the beauty of being “in progress”. It’s about creating space for questions, mistakes, and unpolished truths — things often overlooked in a culture that glorifies completion.

In their own quiet way, First Draft is teaching us something important: it’s not about finishing. It’s about starting, and seeing where that takes us.

Follow First Draft here.

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