Welcome Readers,
As India Art Fair 2025 nears the horizon, our excitement is escalating. Numerous galleries have walked the pavilions of IAF 2025, with some establishing themselves as a staple in this art fair.
Today we have with us Hannah Matin. She is the Sales Associate at AICON. As we all know AICON has championed modern and contemporary South Asian Art, sheltering a humungous roster of artists, since its inception. As they further their legacy and their mission with the 16th edition of India Art Fair, we sit down with them for a little tête-à-tête.
Q: Hello Hannah. It’s a pleasure to converse with you. Let’s get the ball rolling. Could you tell us about AICON and its mission?
Hannah Matin: Hello Andre, thanks so much for having me, and so pleased to get a chance to speak about our gallery and our fifteenth showcase at IAF. Aicon is a New York-based gallery specialising in modern and contemporary non-Western art with a focus on contemporary South Asian art, along with art from the Middle East and Africa. We provide a vital platform for artists from these regions to show in the United States with robust programming of solo and group exhibitions.
Q: As we know, the India Art Fair is a hotspot for contemporary South-Asian art. This begets the question – what is the need or rather the importance for a New York-based gallery, such as yourself in such settings?
Hannah Matin: Well, it’s important for a few reasons. Our programme is international, so we can bring artists to India that might not ordinarily be exhibited in the country, linking them with a brand-new audience. Since we focus on South Asian art it’s also important for us to connect with our artists and collectors in person. The South-Asian diaspora art collectors’ base is a fast-growing market both domestically and also globally, and it is exciting to see how the market has developed within even just the past few years. We now travel to India twice a year for fairs in Delhi and also Mumbai; and there is a huge amount of interest in Indian art in the UAE, Singapore, and back home in the United States.
Courtesy – AICON Gallery
Q: Could you tell me about the represented artists who’ll be the centre of attraction at the 16th edition of IAF? Taken from your gigantic directory, what makes these artists unique?
Hannah Matin: Of course, so our programming is always a healthy mix of modern and contemporary – this year, on the modern side, we will be featuring several artists whose estates we have presented in New York within the past year – Mohan Samant, F.N. Souza and Sayed Haider Raza, of the famed Bombay Progressives, as well as Lancelot Ribeiro, Achuthan Kudallur, and others. On the contemporary side, we have a selection of works by esteemed artists like Faiza Butt — who recently showed at the Venice Biennale, Rasheed Araeen – whose Zero to Infinity structural piece was on display at Tate Modern in 2023, and of course the world-renowned Anjolie Ela Menon. Veer Munshi and Sheetal Gattani, who currently have a solo at AICON Gallery Exhibitions in 2025, will also be featured.
Q: This is not your first time at IAF, is it? What are you looking forward to in this edition of the India Art Fair? We all strive to be better, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. How are you planning to take it to the next level?
Hannah Matin: Yes, exactly – we have actually been present at every edition of the India Art Fair since its start in 2008! Our longstanding partnership with the fair means we have had the unique opportunity to experiment with our booth curation year after year and see what the audiences particularly take to. This year, we have our most ambitious presentation to date, with a free-standing temple devoted to the sole presentation of our modernists. It will be visually stunning, with the gravitas that a modern presentation should bring.
Courtesy – AICON Gallery
Q: Let’s talk about the art market trends Hannah, shall we? What do you see selling more — is it contemporary artists or established personalities? How were the sales for you last year? Are there any projections you’ve made for the new edition?
Hannah Matin: Certainly, I’d love to! We have always seen a healthy mix of sales present on both the contemporary and modern sides, with increased interest over the past few years from new diaspora art collectors. This new and wider interest in collecting more broadly reflects a greater trend in India’s healthy economy – as the overall Indian market’s gross GDP has risen, people have begun to turn their attention to collecting works of art, and it is our job to find them the right works for their homes, fitting both their aesthetic and budget.
Courtesy – AICON Gallery
Q: You have participated in multiple art events, fairs, and exhibitions such as Frieze Masters in London, TEFAF in the Netherlands, and ART SG in Singapore. What makes India Art Fair different from them? Or is it that IAF is yet another art fair?
Hannah Matin: Although it is true we participate in numerous world-class art fairs, we have always considered the Delhi fair to be one of the most important places for us to exhibit. It is essential for us to connect with our artists, diaspora art collectors and the museums in the region. We are lucky enough to have found a home-away-from-home with our base in Delhi, and the fair has been a huge part of establishing that comfort and familiarity for us.
Courtesy – AICON Gallery
Q: Where can our readers find out more about AICON and its ethos? Do you currently offer a virtual gallery tour? If so, where can they find you?
Hannah Matin: Please visit us at our website www.aicon.art, or follow us on Instagram at aiconnewyork. We always love new visitors, both in-person and virtual, and would be more than happy to connect with people who share our love of Indian art.
Q: Thank you so much Hannah for sitting down with us. We wish you the best for the India Art Fair. See you there 🙂
Hannah Matin: Great to chat Andre, and looking forward to greeting you at the fair!
Image Courtesy – AICON Gallery
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