From grand art exhibitions in prestigious museums and art galleries to vibrant art festivals, the end of the year showcases a diverse range of artistic expressions. These events not only celebrate the creativity of renowned artists but also provide a platform for emerging talents to shine. Whether you’re an art enthusiast or simply looking for inspiration, these captivating displays are bound to leave a lasting impression as we bid farewell to the current year and welcome the new one.
This week of November marks the apex of art events in India, with ‘Art Mumbai’, a global art fair bringing together 52 galleries from India and around the world at the Mahalaxmi Race Course from November 16 to 19. ‘The Emami Art Experiment Film Festival’ will be held in Kolkata from November 22 to November 26. The 13th edition of Kolkata’s annual ‘Experimenter Curators Hub’, which includes significant people from the art field, will take place on November 24 and 25. December 2023 hosts the’ India Art Festival’ in Bengaluru, one of the major art fairs in the city besides ‘Chitra Santhe’.
The following are some notable upcoming art exhibitions and events in India that one should keep an eye out for and must visit :
Kolte’s Legacy by Prabhakar Kolte
(At Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, from 16 to November 18 2023)
Treasure Art Gallery is presenting the works by veteran artist Prabhakar Kolte in the upcoming exhibition ‘Kolte’s Legacy: The Art of Painting and Seeing’. Kolte’s work captures the spirit of modern expressionism and strikes a visceral chord with viewers, triggering a wide range of emotions and experiences. Kolte’s paintings are stunningly beautiful in this setting, demanding attention and encouraging thought. Kolte’s work and oeuvre demonstrate his thorough awareness of the world of abstraction in art. He navigates the ethereal domain of the non-representational by transcending literal interpretation. He takes the audience on an introspective trip in his works, where meaning becomes flexible and open to interpretation.
Art Mumbai 2023 at Mahalaxmi Race Course
(At Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai, from 16th-19th November 2023)
‘Art Mumbai’, India’s first art fair, will be held at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse Members’ Enclosure from November 16 to 19. The festival will exhibit approximately 2000 artworks by 300 artists, combining the old-world charm of its iconic site with creative and inventive art in all its forms. The fair will include live performances, Speakers with worldwide viewpoints, and a sculpture park that combines nature and art. International galleries such as Grosvenor Gallery in London, Aicon Gallery in New York, and Volte in Dubai are among the 53 participating galleries. Besides, the exhibition will include landmark galleries from Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata.
‘Art Mumbai’ has been conceptualized and implemented by Minal and Dinesh Vazirani, Nakul Dev Chawla, and Conor Macklin, along with a dynamic team of Rhea Kuruvilla, Teesta Bhandare, and Sumanth Ram. The art fair will feature paintings, a section dedicated to craft-based art, and antiques worldwide. Artists, galleries, institutions, curators, collectors, new buyers, art professionals, art lovers, and everyone else looking for an immersive and uplifting art experience will be gathered at the event.
Emami Art Experimental Film Festival 2023
(At Emami Art, Kolkata, from 22nd-26th November 2023)
A five-day ‘Emami Art Experimental Film Festival event (EAEFF) event will be held between November 22nd and 26th, 2023. Emami Art’s Director and Head Curator – Ushmita Sahu, conceived the festival, which now includes twenty-two films in the competitive section, thirty-three Indian and international films across seven curated sections, Masterclasses, Filmmaker in Focus, Panel Discussions, and special screenings. The festival aims to establish a discursive space for comprehending moving pictures as an art form, addressing the shortage of venues that acknowledge and encourage experimental, alternative, and independent films that transcend classification.
Curated Films from East and Northeast India, South East Asia, Canada, Germany, and Argentina, as well as alternative cinema from Canada, Germany, and Argentina, are featured in the festival. Through conversations and seminars by prominent figures in experimental cinema and moving image art, the festival also provides spaces for deeper involvement. Jurors Solomon Nagler, Ashish Avikunthak, and Raju Roychowdhury are lauded for their insightful guidance and hard work in picking filmmakers from a large pool of applicants.
Experimental Curators’ Hub
( At Experimenter – Hindustan Road, Kolkata, November 24 & 25, 2023)
The 13th edition of the ‘Experimental Curators’ Hub’ in Kolkata, India, brings together curators worldwide who are dedicated to making a significant impact through their distinct curating practices. For the last 13 years, the hub has been a venue for exchanging ideas between philosophers and curators in exhibition-making. The curators, recognized for challenging systematic hierarchies, stress the value of collaboration, community development, and information distribution. Their talks in the hub allow them to oppose division, accept plurality, develop diversity, and foster collective thinking for social justice.
Natasha Ginwala, curator and writer, moderates the forum to broaden and revitalize curatorial thought. Every year, the hub welcomes a guest speaker who has pushed boundaries and inspired people to listen to different voices. Jacinta Kerketta, a journalist, poet-writer, and Adivasi campaigner, will be the keynote speaker in 2023. Through critical conversation and debate, the hub offers a venue for establishing and maintaining discourse on curatorial practice and exhibition-making.
India Art Festival (IAF) – Bengaluru
(At Palace Grounds, Bengaluru from 14 to 17 December 2023)
The 13th edition of the ‘India Art Festival’ (IAF) is scheduled for December 14-17, 2023, in Bengaluru, India. The event is a massive Indian Art Fair staged in New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai and managed by Ruturaj IndoArtFest Pvt Ltd. Panel talks and opportunities for artists, gallerists, theorists, museum professionals, historians, and others are available at the festival. The open call for participation welcomes artists and art galleries to participate. The festival’s goals include reaching a larger audience, selling artwork, and promoting art shows throughout India. Over 15,000 paintings are set to be displayed throughout the three metropolises during the forthcoming India Art Festival.
Upcoming in 2024
In the coming year, there will be several Indian art fairs and festivals. ‘The Haat of Art New Delhi 2024 will be held in Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from the 19th to the 21st of January 2024. It appears to be a pleasant and varied event showcasing a wide spectrum of artistic ability and creativity on one platform. The iconic ‘Kala Ghoda Art Festival’ in Mumbai will be bigger and better for art lovers, with a lineup including films, plays, music, dance, exhibits, workshops, and more. According to sources, the KGAF 2024 will be held in January rather than February for the first time, from the 20th to the 28th of January 2024. ‘India Art Fair’, one of the country’s most major annual art exhibits, will return to New Delhi in February 2024. The post-pandemic 2023 edition of the fair was the largest to date.
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