India’s biggest artists, 53 galleries, and KJo: Mumbai’s first major art fair is here
Art Mumbai, a new art fair, is set to launch in 2023 in Mumbai, India. The fair aims to bring together India's leading galleries and artists, with 53 galleries already securing booths. The event will feature a diverse selection of Indian art, including works by prominent artists such as SH Raza, Krishen Khanna, MF Husain, and Amrita Sher-Gil. Art Mumbai will also include panel discussions, film screenings, and other cultural programming to showcase the city's art scene. The fair is expected to expand the Indian art market and provide a platform for both serious collectors and art enthusiasts.
MUMBAI: “When we started Saffronart 23 years ago, estimates placed Mumbai at almost 70% of the entire Indian art market,” says Minal Vazirani, co-founder, Saffronart. “Cut to 2022, when the global Indian art auction market had crossed its previous 2008 peak. These factors led us to two conclusions: first, that Mumbai was the right city to host an art fair; and second, that 2023 was the right time to launch it.”
With Dinesh Vazirani (Saffronart), Nakul Dev Chawla (Chawla Art Gallery) and Conor Macklin (Grosvenor Gallery, London), Vazirani is the co-founder of Art Mumbai, a platform that’s going to bring together India’s biggest galleries and artists in one venue. Fifty-three galleries have acquired booths.
The artist line-up includes names such as SH Raza, Krishen Khanna, MF Husain, Akbar Padamsee and others from Grosvenor; Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (Delhi) will pay homage to Vivan Sundaram; DAG will showcase Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy, Nandalal Bose, Thomas Daniell, GR Santosh, Meera Mukherjee, and others; and Akara Modern will exhibit works by Amrita Sher-Gil. Internationally, Dubai-based Volte Art Projects is going to present a work by Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović.
“Art education has been one of the most important drivers for us, and I believe that visitors to the DAG booth will not be disappointed,” says Ashish Anand, CEO and MD at DAG. “We want to display works of great and historic rarity. The earliest work is a Thomas Daniell landscape from 1797, followed by a painting by Company School master Sita Ram. A lot of time and effort has gone into identifying the artists we believe audiences will enjoy viewing and collectors will find worthwhile adding to their collections.”
A diverse selection
Cubicles have been reserved for a cross-section of Indian art and artists. The Baroda School is represented by Sarjan Art Gallery, with works by NS Bendre, KG Subramanyan, Gulammohammed Sheikh, Nilima Sheikh, Bhupen Khakhar and others. Galleries with a focus on contemporary art such as Tarq, Blueprint.12, Shrine Empire and Gallery XXL will have a strong presence, alongside Experimenter, which is championing new artists such as Kallol Datta, Bhasha Chakrabarti and Sohrab Hura. Indigenous art also gets a platform, with Ojas Art showing the works of Jangarh Singh Shyam (Gond), Lado Bai (Bhil), Mayur and Tushar Vayeda (Warli), Santosh Kumar Das (Madhubani), and others.
“We are offering programming that specifically connects the art fair to the city,” says Vazirani. “While the focus of the fair is a strong showing of modern and contemporary art, indigenous art and antiquities, there’s also fashion and Bollywood. It gives a broad spectrum flavour of what Mumbai is about and how art ties in to it.”
So, panel discussions on ‘Art in Mumbai’ and ‘Women to Watch’ and a short film on Sudhir Patwardhan will share common ground with the launch of a book on Tarun Tahiliani and a sit-down interview with film-maker Karan Johar. “Bollywood is a key element of performing arts in the city,” says Vazirani. “Unlike other geographies, the arts in the subcontinent comprise the various rasas that tie in visual arts, performing arts and architecture, among other aspects. So, it’s important to recognise our cultural traditions.”
According to Anand, the Indian art market is pegged at about ₹3,000 crore for registered auction sales and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20%. In this regard, the Delhi-based India Art Fair, which completes 15 years in 2024, has stolen a march in the arena of art fairs. “An art fair in Mumbai was long overdue,” says Anand. “Even though the infrastructure of the Indian art world has been increasing over the years, the absence of an art fair in Mumbai was acutely felt. That anomaly will now be filled with Art Mumbai.” Vazirani adds, “India Art Fair does a superb job, and they’ve grown over the years. But, for a country with a 5000-year-old history and so many art cultures and schools of aesthetics, we can certainly absorb more than one fair. It expands the market, and allows for a more varied calendar for what galleries would like to show.”
Vazirani clarifies that the fair is as much for serious collectors as art observers. “I hope Art Mumbai takes away some of the hesitation and intimidation that people have when it comes to visiting galleries. An art fair has a much more casual atmosphere. People can speak to gallerists to learn about art, artists and, of course, discuss pricing more openly. Most importantly, it gives a visual landscape of the best art coming out of the subcontinent. It democratises that access, and gives visitors the opportunity to look and learn.”
Art Mumbai will take place from November 16-19 at Mahalakshmi Race Course.
Pull quote
“I hope Art Mumbai takes away some of the hesitation and intimidation that people have when it comes to visiting galleries.’
Minal Vazirani, co-founder, Art Mumbai
Caption:
Amrita Sher-Gil with her father Umrao Singh Sher-Gil, in a digital photomontage from Vivan Sundaram’s series ‘Re-take of Amrita’. Kiran Nadar Museum of Art will offer homage to Sundaram at Art Mumbai.
