India Art Fair 2025
One of the most sought-after contemporary art exhibitions, the India Art Fair is set to return for its 16th edition at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi from February 6th to 9th, 2025. The premier platform highlights modern and contemporary art in India and South Asia. In collaboration with BMW India, it will feature a record total of 116 exhibitors from India and around the world, including 77 galleries and 25 prominent art institutions.
What’s New at the 16th IAF
Reinforcing its status as a central hub for the global art community in South Asia, the fair features esteemed international galleries such as Carpenters Workshop Gallery, David Zwirner, Galleria Continua, and Lisson Gallery, along with leading Indian galleries including Nature Morte, Chemould Prescott Road, Experimenter, DAG, and Jhaveri Contemporary.
Following the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, the Design section makes a return with an expanded roster of 11 distinguished design studios from both India and abroad, as well as a curated exhibit of emerging contemporary artists and designers. Two corporate exhibitors will also highlight innovative outdoor projects driven by unique processes.
Indian Art Fair 2025’s Theme
Celebrating nine years of collaboration, the India Art Fair Delhi and BMW India have enhanced the ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission to elevate Indian art and artists on a global level. In its fourth edition, the chosen artist will create a work centred around the theme of Ecocentrism. Hence, you may expect to see nature-inspired installations made with sustainable art practices.
Galleries Participating in the Contemporary Art Exhibition
Notable Indian contemporary galleries participating include: New Delhi (Vadehra Art Gallery, GALLERYSKE, Nature Morte, PHOTOINK, Exhibit 320, Gallery Espace, Shrine Empire, Gallery Latitude 28, Blueprint12, Akar Prakar, Art Alive Gallery, and Art Heritage); Mumbai (Chatterjee & Lal, Jhaveri Contemporary, Chemould Prescott Road, Chemould CoLab, Gallery Maskara, Galerie ISA, Project 88, and Sakshi Gallery); Kolkata (Emami Art and Gallery Art Exposure); Pune (Vida Heydari Contemporary); Chennai (Apparao Galleries and Gallery Veda); Ahmedabad (Archer Art Gallery and Iram Art); Hyderabad (Dhi Contemporary, Srishti Art Gallery, and Kalakriti Art Gallery).
In addition, modern galleries such as DAG, Crayon Art Gallery, Dhoomimal Gallery, and Chawla Art Gallery will also contribute. India Art Fair is excited to welcome four new Indian participants: Art & Charlie (Mumbai), KYNKYNY Art Gallery (Bengaluru), Masha Art (New Delhi), and Ashvita’s (Chennai).
Returning international and minimalist art galleries include David Zwirner, Lisson Gallery, Galleria Continua, Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Aicon and Aicon Contemporary, 1×1 Art Gallery, Indigo+Madder, Galerie Geek Art, Saskia Fernando Gallery, and Grosvenor Gallery. The fair will also introduce two new international gallery participants, Unit7 / Prahlad Bubbar and kó.
Focus Section
The Focus section features solo presentations curated by participating galleries, showcasing mixed media pieces created by mid-career and emerging contemporary artists such as Teja Gavankar (Sakshi Gallery), Anindita Bhattacharya (Threshold Art Gallery), Arjun Das (Dhi Contemporary), Natasha Das (Marc Straus), Viraj Khanna (Kalakriti Art Gallery), Vipul Prajapati (079 | Stories Art Gallery), and Sandilya Theuerkauf (KYNKYNY Art Gallery).
Design Section
Following its acclaimed debut in 2024, the Design section returns with a carefully curated selection of 11 celebrated design studios, including Vikram Goyal, Ashiesh Shah, Gunjan Gupta, Studio Renn, DeMuro Das, Jian Yoo, Nolwa Studio, TANIA & SANDEEP KHOSLA in partnership with Mangrove Collective, Studio Raw Material, Jaipur Rugs, and Studio Nyn, along with a selection of emerging Indian designers curated by Alaiia Gujral in a segment titled ‘Shifting Horizons’. Gujral’s selection will emphasize practitioners who blend India’s artisanal traditions with contemporary design elements, illustrating the future of India’s distinctive design identity.
Art Institutions
Prominent Indian institutions featured at the fair include The Gujral Foundation, Karishma Swali and Chanakya School of Craft, Abir India, Chennai Photo Biennale Foundation, and Prameya Art Foundation (PRAF). International institutions represented at the fair encompass The Arts Family (UK), Unnati Cultural Village (Nepal), Britto Arts Trust (Bangladesh), the Korean Cultural Centre India, the Australian High Commission, the Asian Art Museum (San Francisco), and the Royal College of Art (RCA), among others.
Each year, the fair highlights a range of emerging artistic practices and innovative voices through its Artists In Residence initiative. This year’s resident artists are Imon Chetia Phukan, liactuallee, and Umesh S.
The Outdoor Art Projects
The Outdoor Art Projects at the India Art Fair Delhi feature a large-scale tent facade crafted by tattoo artist Mo Naga, supported by New Delhi’s MASH. Sculptor M. Pravat offers a multi-dimensional experience backed by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA). The conceptual artist Claire Fontaine will put up an immersive art installation; an LED piece that builds on their acclaimed work Foreigners Everywhere at the upcoming 2024 Venice Biennale. These will be a part of art spaces you can interact with.
Hylozoic/Desires (Himali Singh Soin and David Soin Tappeser) will showcase a moving image piece, The Hedge of Halomancy, through synchronized installations at the Sharjah Biennale, Tate Britain, India Art Fair Delhi, and Somerset House. Ashwini Bhat will present Earth Under Our Feet, featuring an interactive digital installation and interactive performance, facilitated by the Asian Art Museum. Additional 3D art installations specifically commissioned for the fair will include works by artist Asim Waqif alongside emerging talents Mohd. Intiyaz and Yogesh Barve.
Jaya Asokan on India Art Fair 2025
Jaya Asokan the Fair Director of India Art Fair Delhi, notes, “The 16th edition of India Art Fair Delhi is due to be our most ambitious showcase of modern and contemporary art and design yet. We have been at the forefront of the growth of South Asian art in the region and internationally, and our next edition will celebrate the region’s leading artistic voices alongside international heavyweights and fresh talent. We are in the midst of an incredible moment for South Asian art globally with ever-increasing museum recognition across the world and the Indian market continuing to grow. As the art scene continues to flourish, India Art Fair Delhi is entering a new phase with our upcoming expansion to Mumbai in November 2025, and we cannot wait to welcome the global arts community to Delhi this February!”
The India Art Fair Delhi 2025 Talks Programme, supported by JSW, will convene prominent figures in art and culture for insightful discussions in the Auditorium, focusing on the significance of South Asian art and culture in today’s global landscape. The complete lineup of speakers will be revealed in January. KNMA will serve as its official Learning Partner, aiding all the fair’s inclusivity and educational initiatives.
Image Courtesy – Arts & Collections
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