From canvas to concept: A new way of seeing art @ India Art Fair

If Bridget Riley’s words, “Perception is the medium,” are to be believed, then the recently concluded India Art Fair was the place to be. The fair opened up dialogue and offered new ways of seeing lived realities through art and design, making it a compelling avenue for art lovers to absorb, reflect and engage. In her inaugural address, Fair Director Jaya Asokan noted, “International attention on South Asian art has reached an inflection point, and India Art Fair meets that moment.”

‘The range of materials on display made the experience compelling’

The event was an ode to culture and artistic expression. Nilanjan Bhowal, a Delhi-based architect who attended the fair with his family, said, “The layout and display were refreshing and interactive, with more open space offering visual relief. Many new international galleries participated, and the focus on promoting younger artists was especially encouraging.”

Inakshi Sobti, CEO of Asia Society India Centre, echoed this sentiment, saying, “It was a wide, expansive collection of works, and it was wonderful to see powerful voices from new and young artists. The range of materials and the spirit of experimentation on display made the experience especially compelling.”

A focus on art and identity

Haal Mukaam: Current Address was a solo exhibition by artist Girjesh Kumar Singh, who used salvaged bricks and mortar from demolished constructions to explore themes of impermanence, displacement, and the idea of journey

Thai artist Pannaphan Yodmanee, presented by Galerie Geek Art, merged Buddhist iconography with contemporary mixed media, using rocks, minerals, cement, jute, spray paint and gold leaf to create richly textured, meditative landscapes

Chandrasekhar Koteshwar’s Extensions in Bronze, presented by Gallery Dotwalk, reflected his deep engagement with terracotta and bronze, exploring the tension between weight and fluidity

Subodh Gupta’s Drift of a Star invited the viewer to experience intimacy and vastness at once, as the familiar objects like spouted jugs and buckets momentarily resemble a constellation in motion

Kenyan artist Thandiwe Muriu examines themes of identity, culture, and female empowerment through her photographic works. She uses ankara (wax) and the East African kanga fabric as a canvas to redefine and celebrate her culture

Through The Winds of Guardians, Indigenous Australian artist Grace Lillian Lee honoured her ancestors by using the traditional weaving techniques of Torres Strait to form contemporary art pieces

In Chronicles of a Wounded Book, Kingsley Gunatillake turns books into battlefields by burning their edges and carving trenches into the pages, and placing tiny copper soldiers. The series is a symbolic representation of the landscapes of war, protest, and resolution of Sri Lanka over the years

In The Collective Consequences of Focus on Focus by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, a cluster of glass spheres looked white when viewed from the front – the spheres are filled with vivid reflections of the viewers and their surroundings. From one side, these reflections took on a deep red tone, while from the other, the spheres appeared black

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