Art, and nothing more: The Irregulars Art Fair is back

Cheekily clashing with the India Art Fair in the capital, this Anti-Art Fair will give you a peek into the world of independent art

Delhi’s poshest art showcase —the India Art Fair— just concluded, but pushing the boundaries of art, who makes it, and its audience is an anti-art fair in town that you should definitely check out. Tiny posters and signboards in Khirki extension would guide you straight to Studio Khirki that has been transformed into the venue for the Irregulars Art Fair, with art in every corner and every wall of the building.

An artist works on a paint by numbers mural outside Studio Khirki which hosted the Irragulars Art Fair (SHivam Saxena-HT)

Co-founded by Tarini Sethi and Anant Ahuja, the fair in its second year has grown exponentially over the last year, and manages to subvert the concept of art being an affair of the elite beautifully. You can interact with installations here, see sculptures and paintings, read zines, experience art in VR, and even experience what it’s like to enter a womb. “One could say that our first edition was a little rushed. We just wanted to do this, and went ahead with it. But, this year we have more curators who have carefully put together this fair. In our first year, we had 56 artists in total, and this year we have over 150. So, one could say that we’ve tripled in scale. The theme this year is Alternate Realities, and each exhibit offers something interesting for the visitors. This always has, and will continue to be a space for independent artists to take the centre stage; we’re just doing our best to keep that going,” says Ahuja.

A visitor checks out artworks by Medha Khanna at the The Irregulars Art Fair.

Artworks by Lyla Freechild and Aru Bose at the The Irregulars Art Fair

But, what do artists think of this? We met Nusha and Kelly, a collective of art students, who had come to visit the fair, and both echoed that this is an important step towards an art revolution. “I have studied art ever since I was six, and now I am a second year student of fine arts. I have been to so many exhibitions, seen the art fairs of the world too, but this right here is the real thing. Here, artists find a space where people actually come for the art. It is beautiful and at the same time is very empowering as an independent artist,” says Nusha. Kelly adds, “Wherever there is an important art fair, there has always been an anti art fair too. We’ve had the art fair in Delhi for more than a decade but only last year did we get a proper anti art fair. It might be late, but it is never too late. There is an art revolution coming, and art is no more going to be about the clinking of champagnes or pretence. Art, set free, will change the world around us.”

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