Hyderabad: Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, M.F. Husain, Raza, Salvadore Dali all under one roof? The general presumption will be that we are talking about an international museum or a travelling art show abroad which are both wrong. It’s the India Art Fair.
On October 2008, the Indian art scene saw a ray of hope for art. The India Art Fair opened doors to a new era as art went global. After the economic meltdown it was ‘cometh the hour, cometh the fair’. The sheer magnitude of the art fair took the fraternity by storm. The Indian art market, a shadow until now, emerged in a blockbuster avatar. The first edition created a big flutter. It targeted over 6,000 visitors with 34 national and international exhibiting galleries at the fair, and over 550 contemporary and modern artworks. A revolution had begun.
A glimmer of hope for artists as well. It’s been six editions since the India Art Fair came into existence and it has been breaking records and new grounds every passing year. Art collectors and investors fly in from across the world to attend this mega event which gives collectors access to the best and selected pieces of art. It does take a fortune for galleries to book their spot, but it generally is worth the effort as most manage to sell their works and try to build a connect with the fraternity and galleries abroad.
The glittering red carpet of art in India sees a turnout of the who’s who. Plus, the India Art Fair also hosts a series of discussions, curated walks by art historians, audio tours and lectures with eminent speakers like Bharti Kher and Subodh Gupta. Another interesting project in the 2011 edition was the collaborative art project by artists Thukra and Tagra aimed at promoting AIDS awareness.
The question does arise about the extent to which such a fair works for art galleries or artists. The irony of fairs like the India Art Fair is that it generally targets art galleries and artists who are either well off or who have a sound backing. There are many talented artists left unexplored.
Abhay Maskara, a gallery owner says, “Art fairs are becoming increasingly important to reach a wider audience. This is one of features that make art fairs attractive to gallerists like us.” He adds, “Artists get exposure to new audiences, it facilitates new dialogues and exchange of ideas with the artist and with art.” Prashant Pandey, a sculptor says, “The fair symbolises the sheer strength of art and artists. People and investors abroad can look at works and this helps build cross cultural relations. The fanfare surrounding it is impeccable.”
Harish is an artist, curator and dialogue writer.
