As the vibrant fabric of Indian art continues to evolve, contemporary artists are pushing limits, rethinking aesthetics, and providing new viewpoints on it. Galleries throughout India’s diverse geography are preparing to showcase the latest masterpieces in a series of organised art events in the new year that promise to draw spectators and provoke conversations. These exhibitions are likely to be a visual feast, showing the dynamic and diverse nature of contemporary Indian art, from Mumbai’s busy streets to Delhi’s historic passageways and Kolkata‘s cultural hubs. The following are some sneak peeks at upcoming exhibitions in January 2024 that will leave an indelible mark on the canvas of contemporary Indian art.
Photography Exhibitions at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi hosts two exclusive photography exhibitions this month, namely: “Broken” by Asha Thadani and “Signature of Diversity – A Group Photography Exhibition of Ladakh, Bihar and Orissa” by Shailendra Kumar, Tribhuvan Deo, Ramhari Jena, Shiva Sahoo and Ashish Dhir.
Asha Thadani’s “Broken” exhibition at the India Habitat Centre showcased ten Dalit communities across India, including mineworkers in Jharkhand, boatmen and divers in the Ganga, Joginis in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Ramnamis in Chhattisgarh, Holeyas in South India, Theyyam artists in Kerala, Musahars in Bihar, Paraiyar mourners in Tamil Nadu, Dusadhs or Paswans in Bihar, and Navayan Buddhists. Thadani’s work is both illuminating and compassionate, expressing the people’s defiance and vitality. In 2015, she was nominated for the Henri Cartier-Bresson Award, and she hopes that her work will open at least one door for those with closed minds. The show was on display at the India Habitat Centre’s central atrium till January 7, 2024.
“Signature of Diversity,” on the other hand, was on exhibit at the Visual Arts Gallery of the IHC Campus from January 1st to 6th, 2024, and depicted the culture, life, and diversity of traditions through portraits of communities from Ladakh, Bihar, and Orissa. This month, the gallery hosts a series of art exhibitions, including “Voice of Innerself,” a solo exhibition of paintings by Vijender Sharma presented by Allure Arts & Events (7th Jan – 13th Jan 2024), “Facet,” a group exhibition of painting and sculpture (14th Jan – 18th Jan 2024), “A Walk Through My Mind,” a solo painting exhibition by Suman Sen Gupta (20th Jan – 23rd Jan 2024), and “The Art of India 2024” – A group exhibition of an unusual blend of masters and tomorrow’s blue chip, ( 27th Jan – 04th Feb, 2024).
Solo Show by Contemporary Artist Ved Nayar
Artworks by contemporary artist Ved Nayar will be on display in his solo exhibition titled as “You Will Come Across This Face, One Day” at Shridharani Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi. The exhibition is curated by Gogi Saroj Pal and is on view from 7th Jan – 16th Jan 2024.
Ved Nayar, who was born in Lyallpur in 1933, was influenced by his strong affinity with the jungle that surrounded him. Nayar’s work is concerned with human and environmental issues, mass consumerism, and cultural globalization. His distinctive figure, generally female, exists within the void between earth and heaven. Nayar received the Lalit Kala Akademi national award for his sculpture “Mankind-2101” in 1981 and designed the citation trophy for the Jawaharlal Nehru Prize for International Understanding in 1988.
Cultural Exchange between Israeli and Indian Artisans at Dastakaari Haat
The 32nd Annual Dastkari Haat Crafts Bazaar will showcase an array of traditional Indian and Israeli handicrafts, fabrics, and classical dance performances. The 15-day exhibition, which began on January 1, will include roughly 200 artists from several states presenting their traditional heritage. Dastkari Haat Samiti has collaborated with the Ministry of Textiles to provide an interactive platform for craftsmen from both countries to share knowledge and produce beautiful art pieces.
For the creation of new art pieces, five Israeli artisans will engage with Indian artisans from Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan. The Israel-India workshop, which runs from January 2 to 14, will display freshly created pieces to the public, allowing art enthusiasts to engage with artists and see their work in progress. The event attempts to bring back the original essence of Dilli Haat by allowing craftsmen who are unable to present their work in New Delhi to do so exclusively.
A Diverse Spectrum of Creativity at ‘The Haat of Art’, Delhi
“The Haat of Art ” is scheduled to be organised at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from January 19th to 21st, 2024. The event aims to highlight a diverse spectrum of creative ability and innovative thinking, including works from specially-abled artists, budding child artists, and experts from many professions.
The event will include live painting performances and workshops that will allow guests to engage in the creative process. “The Haat of Art” is India’s largest art exhibition and celebration of art, presenting various kinds of art and artists from around the country. Paintings by young and emerging artists, senior contemporary artists, specially-abled artists, sculpture artists, 3D artists, and visual, digital, professional, and child artists will be featured in the event. The event will additionally feature materials, supplies, and equipment from relevant creative fields. Live painting performances will include unique painting styles, and workshops will allow visitors to participate in the live painting performances. The event will be a carnival of colours with paintings, exhibits, and more.
The 12th Edition of Mumbai Gallery Weekend
Mumbai Gallery Weekend, a four-day cultural extravaganza, will be held from January 11 to 14, bringing together 34 galleries and design venues from throughout the city. Since its beginning in 2012, the festival has been a catalyst for rejuvenating the city’s art culture, showcasing both famous organizations and newbies, with galleries such as Akara Contemporary, Gallery XXL, Method Juhu, and Vida Heydari Contemporary making their mark. Some galleries have even relocated, giving the event a more dynamic feel. The event, which is open and free to the public, includes stunning opening and closing ceremonies around the city. Aside from the galleries, the Mumbai Gallery Weekend 2024 will offer a series of discussions at the CSMVS museum in partnership with the India Art Fair. A Young Collectors Program at Kathiwada City House, an off-site installation titled “Bombay Tilts Down” by CAMP, a performance by Tushar Adhav at Sassoon Docks, and a curated gallery hop with Art & Wonderment are among the other activities. This year’s event, organized by the team at Chemould Prescott Road, aims to be the city’s largest coordinated art festival, providing spectators with an immersive and engaging experience. Following are the few exhibitions from it.
“Line of Fire” by Nikhil Chopra
Chatterjee & Laal Gallery hosts the exhibition “Line of Fire” by contemporary artist Nikhil Chopra whose artistic practice encompasses live art, theatre, painting, photography, sculpture, and installations. His performances, often improvised, explore themes such as identity, autobiography, pose, and self-portraiture. Chopra’s work combines everyday life and collective history, with daily acts such as eating, resting, washing, dressing, drawing, and making clothes becoming essential parts of the show. Since 2005, Chopra has exhibited and performed globally, participating in numerous exhibitions and performances. “Line of Fire” previews on 11th January 2024 during the Mumbai Gallery Weekend and continues till 28th February 2024.
Duality of Spaces through Ricky Vasan’s Figurative Paintings
Galerie ISA is showcasing Ricky Vasan’s debut solo show, “Just A Little While Longer,” which explores domesticity and the mundane through autobiographical lenses. Vasan’s paintings are set in his home in India and his apartment in the United States, reflecting his observations, style, and memories. The show features a panoramic view of an apartment, with windows, doorways, and spaces inside serving as leitmotifs. Vasan’s compositional approach incorporates historical styles and artistic lineage, such as Botticelli and Raphael‘s narratives, 16th-century Dutch painting, Pieter De Hooch’s interior exterior spaces, Vermeer‘s still life, and figurative works. Under the umbrella of realism, Vasan delves into the multiplicity of time, turning photographs into depictions far from linear. The exhibition, which opens on January 11th, 2024, invites viewers to experience the intimacy of spaces in the illusion world created by the artist.
CAMP’s “Bombay Tilts Down” at Sassoon Docks, Mumbai
CAMP’s “Bombay Tilts Down” is a massive seven-channel work that will be shown in collaboration with Experimenter and St+art India for the first time in its native city of Mumbai, during Mumbai Gallery Weekend between 12th January to 24th January 2024.
“Bombay Tilts Down,” a landscape video in facets, was shot from a single point of view by a CCTV camera atop a 35-story building in South-Central Mumbai during the pandemic. Six camera moves that begin in inclement weather and at sea and descend ‘into the ordinary’ over vertical landscapes packed with incomplete city landmarks, recurring villages, and never-ending details suggesting a new connection between individuals, cameras, and cities. “Bombay Tilts Down” was commissioned by The Nam June Paik Art Center and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2022.
“Ghosts in My Sleep” by Sohrab Hura
Experimenter – Colaba, Mumbai presents “Ghosts in My Sleep”, Sohrab Hura’s (b.1981, lives and works in New Delhi, India) debut solo exhibition during Mumbai Gallery Weekend. The exhibition begins on January 11, 2024, and will be on display until March 16, 2024. Hura presents a new body of work in which he investigates image creation through drawing and emphasizes this by his proclivity to reflect on the social and political through everyday routine as emphasized by love, joy, relationships, and the familial. His close surroundings include animals, and the importance of title lines, which moderate the tone of the photos, draws a link between this body of work and the format of a photo book.
The Essence of Soviet Children’s book Illustrations through Afrah Shafiq’s Narrative Video Games
“I Fell Asleep a Believer and Woke Up an Atheist,” Afrah Shafiq‘s first solo show, is on display at Experimenter, Hindustan Road, Kolkata, from January 19th to March 2nd, 2024. Shafiq’s research on Illustrated Children’s Books from the Soviet Union, which were popular during the Cold War, is discussed in the show. The show uses NKFC and Soviet children’s books as important visual and narrative inspirations, but it also includes independent stories. Typewriter drawings, Slavic stitching, and a mosaic piece depicting women’s tears in fairy tales and folklore are among the works on display. “Nobody Knows for Certain,” is a quest game, centered around a lady grieving on her wedding day. The exhibition showcases the subject matter of political and private transitions, which is central to her present artistic practice.
Image Courtesy – Elle India
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