Art Street| India Art Fair 2025: A Stronger Global Presence, but is Indian Art keeping Up?| Globalfashionstreet.com
India Art Fair has firmly established itself as the art event of India—a momentous occasion that dictates the rhythm of the country’s contemporary art scene. No longer just a commercial marketplace, it has evolved into a critical nexus where artistic conversations are shaped, careers are propelled, and South Asia’s creative pulse is measured.
Such is its significance that artists, curators, and collectors now structure their calendars around its dates, making Delhi a temporary epicenter of global art discourse. The presence of international heavyweights alongside India’s leading galleries further underscores its growing relevance on the world stage.
Yet, with this prominence comes an inevitable question: does the fair remain a space of artistic provocation and discovery, or is it slipping into the trappings of a well-packaged but predictable spectacle, catering more to the ‘News’ than to the evolution of artistic practice and a stronger art market?
Jaya Asokan, now firmly at the helm, has worked to elevate India Art Fair’s stature on the global stage. Her focus on broadening South Asia’s artistic footprint is commendable, but does this ambition translate into radical shifts in curation?
While the fair successfully attracted international exhibitors like David Zwirner and Lisson Gallery, their presence also brought with it the familiar dominance of Western art-market dynamics. Was the fair a showcase of South Asian artistic voices, or merely a staging ground for international players looking to tap into India’s burgeoning collector base?
Asokan has emphasized the importance of indigenous narratives, yet the most talked-about booths were still those belonging to global giants. The presence of desi giants was significant, but in the end, their works had to compete with the sleek presentations of their Western counterparts.
The disparity was not just in content but in execution—international galleries came with immersive displays, museum-quality lighting, and a sharp curatorial vision that transformed booths into conceptual spaces.
If Indian galleries are to assert their rightful dominance at India’s premier art event, they must elevate both the caliber of showcased talent and the sophistication of their presentation, lest the fair’s increasing internationalization shift the center of gravity away from homegrown voices.
A big shoutout to Alaiia Gujral from the Gujral Foundation (and Family) for her remarkable collection and truly splendid presentation at the India Art Fair 2025. In a landscape where many Indian galleries played it safe, Gujral’s curatorial vision stood out—both in the strength of the works she championed and in the immersive quality of her booth.
With a keen eye for contemporary relevance and an aesthetic that balanced boldness with refinement, her presentation was a testament to what Indian galleries can achieve when they push beyond conventional formats. At a fair where international galleries often set the bar high, Gujral proved that homegrown talent, when framed with intent and innovation, can command just as much attention, and more.
As international players expand their footprint in the Indian market, the absence of new narratives from local heavyweights not only dampened excitement but also raised concerns about the stagnation of homegrown representation in an increasingly competitive global art ecosystem. Long story short, most prominent galleries played it safe, offering little in the way of fresh perspectives or groundbreaking discoveries.
The absence of bold new talent raises concerns about whether these galleries are failing to scout emerging voices or simply unwilling to take risks in an increasingly commercialized art market. While international galleries brought fresh dialogues, many Indian exhibitors seemed content recycling familiar names, reinforcing the notion that true artistic disruption still struggles to find a platform in the country’s most high-profile art fair.
The need for established Indian galleries to showcase fresh talent and groundbreaking artworks was more evident than ever at India Art Fair 2025, especially in the face of a stronger international presence. While global galleries like David Zwirner, Lisson Gallery, and Kukje Gallery brought dynamic new voices and bold curations, many Indian galleries seemed to rely on their tried-and-tested rosters, offering little in the way of discovery.
This imbalance underscored a crucial gap—while India’s contemporary art scene is brimming with emerging talent, the country’s top galleries appeared hesitant to take curatorial risks or invest in the next generation of artists.
One of the fair’s most striking developments was the participation of 13 foreign galleries. The presence of kó (Lagos), bringing contemporary African perspectives, and South Korea’s Kukje Gallery signaled an attempt at a wider cross-cultural dialogue. However, in a fair increasingly driven by commercial success, was this engagement deep and meaningful, or just an exotic flourish to attract collectors?
The inclusion of Yayoi Kusama’s signature polka-dotted installations undeniably thrilled visitors, but was this an example of curatorial boldness or a predictable marketing strategy? Her work, while undoubtedly iconic, has been a staple at global art fairs for years. What the fair needed was risk-taking — showcasing emerging voices rather than leaning on the comforting familiarity of established international figures.
One of the most striking trends at India Art Fair 2025 was the prominence of new medias- forget the conventional canvas, wood or metal- there were artworks in Thorns, thread, glass, ash etc.
thread-based artworks and mixed-media presentations, signaling a shift towards tactile, labor-intensive practices. Textile and fiber art, once relegated to craft, found a strong foothold in contemporary discourse, with artists using embroidery, weaving, and thread installations to explore identity, memory, and materiality. Gallerists showcased intricate works that blended traditional Indian textile techniques with conceptual storytelling, proving that fiber art is no longer just decorative but deeply political.
Alongside this, mixed-media presentations pushed the boundaries of conventional formats—artists combined digital projections with hand-stitched elements, used recycled materials in large-scale sculptures, and integrated artificial intelligence into their compositions.
This interplay of old and new mediums reflected a growing desire for hybridity in artistic expression, even as the fair itself struggled to balance innovation with its commercial imperatives.
Jaya Asokan’s leadership has undeniably placed the fair in a strong position, but the real test lies ahead: Can India Art Fair remain a space for artistic risk and critical discourse, or will it become just another polished, hyper-commercialized art event? Only time will tell.
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