International Presence: Carpenters Workshop Gallery and de Gournay Shine
The India Art Fair (IAF) distinguished itself in 2024 by hosting renowned international exhibitors specialising in design. Carpenters Workshop Gallery and de Gournay, global leaders in the field, headlined the event alongside top Indian designers such as Atelier Ashiesh Shah, Vikram Goyal, Gunjan Gupta, and Rooshad Shroff.
Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s Remarkable Debut
Carpenters Workshop Gallery made a striking debut, selling out all their large-scale pieces on the VIP day. Among the notable sales were a Nacho Carbonell coffee table fetching over €300,000 ($324,000), a Karl Lagerfield water fountain for €150,000 ($162,000), and various pieces by the Verhoeven Twins, including a Carrara marble Cinderella table and a more accessible bubbles-based work for €20,000 Euros ($21,500).
Loïc le Gaillard, the gallery’s co-founder, expressed satisfaction, stating, “What is really heartening is that they have been acquired by individual Delhi- and Mumbai-based collectors, showing an appetite for the aesthetic that we have presented to the Indian audience.”
Galleria Continua and Neugerriemschneider: International Success Stories
Galleria Continua reported brisk sales, with works by Anish Kapoor and Ai Weiwei attracting Indian private collectors. Berlin gallery Neugerriemschneider made a strong return after three years, featuring works by Ai, Olafur Eliasson, and Shilpa Gupta. Tim Neuger, the gallery co-founder, described it as “a transcultural proposal” focused on socio-political themes.
A Panorama of Artistic Diversity
The India Art Fair showcased a diverse mix of artists not only from India and the West but also featured Indian galleries exhibiting artists from across South Asia. Rajeeb Samdani, a prominent collector from Bangladesh, expressed delight at the representation of artists from his country across multiple galleries.
Delhi’s Art Powerhouses: Vadehra Gallery, Nature Morte, and More
Delhi-based galleries reported robust results, with Vadehra Gallery pre-selling a major Tyeb Mehta painting and a Rameshwar Broota piece. Nature Morte rehung its booth after frenetic sales, with gallerist Aparajita Jain confirming that almost 85 percent of the booth had sold on the VIP day. Notable sales included the Subodh Gupta sculpture for €250,000 ($270,000) and a large Martand Khosla work fetching $25,000.
Other major players like Experimenter and Chemould Prescott Road, with spaces in Kolkata and Mumbai, reported significant sales. Experimenter sold around 80 percent of its works by the first day’s end, including key pieces placed with institutions. Chemould Prescott Road reported sales of their large Jitish Kallat work to a private collector and placements with the Dubai-based Ishara Art Foundation.
A Focus on South Asian Contemporary Art
Sabih Ahmed, director of the Ishara Art Foundation, emphasised the broader significance of the India Art Fair, stating, “Our focus is to support the contemporary art of South Asia and its diaspora, so the India Art Fair is not just about India in isolation but that of the subcontinent and its entanglement with the wider global histories.”
In conclusion, the India Art Fair 2024 emerged as a vibrant hub of artistic exchange, bringing together international and Indian talent while reflecting the rich diversity of the South Asian art scene.
Feature Image: Water Lilies by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei at the neugerriemschneider booth. Courtesy: Abhinav Saha
What Makes Us Who We Are? Raihan Vadra’s Third Exhibition ‘Upamana’ Explores It Again
