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As art lovers, avid collectors and committed connoisseurs of Indian art, overseas Indians are active bidders for works of reputed Indian artists at major auctions in London and New York, among other places. If they want to expose themselves to a huge variety of Indian and global artists, then the Indian Art Fair in New Delhi is a must.
Any fair is judged by the caliber of the visitors. Here the NRIs will not experience the shoving and pushing, the loud chatter or the litter. Before it is inaugurated, receptions are held for collectors and foreign visitors. During the four-day event, buyers, VIP visitors and art aficionados are allowed and the fair is open to the public after lunch. The entry fee is high at Rs. 300 (around three pounds sterling) per person although art students come at a much lower entry fee. Going round the fair, you see elegantly dressed people talking art in soft tones and keenly admiring the art on display. The three main halls have their own cafes and meeting places and public seating for those get tired. It is all very sophisticated, unlike most Indian public events.
Indian art has come of age with her artists arriving on world stage, selling their artworks for millions of dollars and organising a world class Indian Art Fair in New Delhi. The artworks at the sixth edition of this event just con concluded displayed humour, satire, quirkiness and, of course, imagination.
On entering the main hall, an exhibit showed Mahatma Gandhi sitting before a circular Coca Cola logo. More intriguing was the Mahatma working on his spinning wheel painted a stack of Coca Cola bottle crates! Another such exhibit showed the Dalai Lama's face on these crates. A mobile sculpture by L. N. Tallur showed the mid-life crises of a stone-faced woman squatting in front of a spinning car tyre smeared with mud splattered all over her and on her face. It was titled Path Finder! Here was the rat race offering a humourous version of the spiritual seeker. In all her glory, the Hindu Goddess Saraswati is painted atop a rubber duck! A clothes line had some garments hung to dry but the twist was all the garments were made of small, shiny steel balls!
In addition, jewellery designer Nirav Modi, art-deco furniture, off-beat exhibits like audio experiences, a desktop computer cut in half and its screen showing a newscast stopped visitors in their tracks!
Around 100,000 visitors admired the works of Indian artists and was also surprised by works of Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol and Andre Masson on display. Renowned Indian painters like M. F. Husain, Jamini Roy, S. H. Raza, Dayanita Singh, L.N.Tallur, Anindita Dutta and Rajorshi Gosh and F. N. Souza, sculptures by Anish Kapoor and Subodh Gupta attracted his attention. The fair showcased over 3,000 works by 1,000 artists by 81 exhibitors across the globe. The Fair attracts around 100,000 collectors, art lovers and critics from all over India and abroad. Major art auctioneers, Christie's, a sponsor of this fair, and Southby's were also involved. Other art events are also timed with this fair. The National Gallery of m Modern Art in New Delhi opened an exhibition of renowned artist Amrita Sher Gill's definitive works; Sotheby's held a reception to showcase their paintings for their forthcoming auction in London; and many Indian artists held their shows.
Subodh Gupta's Aura was a ceiling-high sculpture made from stainless steel utensils illuminated with a great many tube lights in a big jumble. The light created an illusion that foreshadows the emptiness of things- big and small. The stainless steel utensils with their towering presence are placed in perspective by the strong white light. The illuminated illusion conveys the make-believe prosperity of the new middle class. "Seems like the loft of a utensil shop," commented a visitor.
A golden deer about six-foot high caught the eyes of every passerby reminding them about the style of Damien Hirst. One visitor remarked, "Is this the deer that Sita wanted in Ramayana?" A curved mirror with a huge garland distorted faces of everyone who looked at it. No wonder many people captured their crazy 'selfies' or self-photos. A similar exhibit was a mirror that showed your face upside down!
Across the main exhibition halls was a hall with art shops, refreshments and sundries. Bang in the middle of these shops selling art books, art materials, art magazines, costume jewellery and refreshment stalls with tea, coffee and snacks was a huge circular artwork. Titled 'If you meet Buddha on the road, kill him' it was created by Yo Hongxing, a Chinese artist, and showed a black Buddha sitting in the lotus posture, deep in meditation, surrounded by very colourful textiles, stickers, glass beads and toys used on a canvas and wood panels. Dazzling the visitor with image overload, it shows the influence of mass media, pop culture, architecture, environment and landscapes of East and West. The artist from Beijing says this work shows swift change of China's social system. It is also a satire on Asia's fast evolving social, financial, environmental and technological systems.
The different venues for lectures and seminars go on during the four-day fair. Renowned art critics, dealers, experts, auctioneers, dealers and professors address the various sessions. Many of these sessions are well-attended with lively discussions and debates.
Surprisingly, the director of this humungous exhibition is a young lady from Delhi, Neha Kirpal. The story goes that in 2008 she visited London while working for a PR and event management firm. She was awed by London's happening feverish art scene with 9,000 galleries. She wondered, Why not have am art fair for Delhi?
During a flight, she wrote the business plan on the back of an airsickness bag, got off the plane and convinced her employers to loan her ten million Rupees to create the Art Summit.
The first show in 2008 was called India Art Summit at Pragati Maidan showgrounds in New Delhi for modern and contemporary art. The first fair targeted over 6,000 visitors with 34 exhibiting galleries at the fair, and over 550 contemporary and modern artworks. This first show managed to attract local art galleries on one big hall but the next event was much bigger with more Indian and international participation from Britain, France, Spain, USA, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Italy and many other countries. Before this Fair, Mumbai was the premium centre for Indian art shows but this event has changed all that and now many galleries from Mumbai exhibit here because they cannot be left out of such an important event on the international circuit that generates good business. After another two years of steady growth, increased participation and attendance, the venue was shifted to NSIC ground in Okhla.
During its six events, the fair has managed to exhibit and facilitate the sale of many world renowned artists like Picasso, Dalí, Auguste Rodin, Miró, Marc Chagall,Marina Abramović, M. F. Husain, S H Raza, F.N. Souza, Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst, Anjolie Ela Menon and Thota Vaikuntam.
What a feast for the eyes!
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