CHENNAI: New beginnings always rise up from old ends. And so it is with years, too. No matter the challenges or the heartaches, we bury them all religiously on the 31st of December either in high octane dance parties or in quiet contemplation and tell ourselves the brand new year ahead would be ours to conquer heights. Humanity’s undying spirit of hope that flutters its wings when the new year dawns is what has kept us striding forward through the centuries.
Before we undertake this march ahead, it’s important to pause briefly to reflect on all the excitement and disappointments that made up the months gone by. Here’s a look at what the world of art had to offer in 2024.
The business of art
Indian art has never had it better in the art market, as it did this year. 2024 saw exponential growth and record- breaking auction sales for some of India’s prominent artists.
SH Raza’s ‘Kalliste’, an oil painting from 1959 sold at Sotheby’s for an astonishing USD 4,600,000, setting a new high for his works. Another of his works from 1978 also sold at the same auction for the enviable price of USD 1,150,000.
MF Husain, India’s iconic modernist, continued to attract collectors at auctions and his painting from 1957, sold at Sotheby’s in September for an astounding £2,000,000. Contemporary Indian artists too have had their fair share of exceptional sale prices at auctions.
It is a certainty that the art market will continue to evolve in the coming year as global buyers increasingly become aware of the significance of Indian art and begin to invest in this rapidly growing market.
India's own art fair
The art calendar in India opens every year with the India Art Fair, held in February in Delhi, annually. This year saw the 15th edition of this hugely successful event which has remained the country’s leading platform to showcase contemporary art. So, what was different about this year? The 2024 Art Fair was the largest edition ever, boasting of 109 exhibitors!
Thanks to the addition of a new section for design this year, which expanded the horizons of the fair with this ingenious cross-disciplinary inclusion. Seven design studios participated, presenting works like Karl Lagerfeld’s fountain worth USD 1,62,000 and many other such works by renowned international designers.
This year’s fair also saw the introduction of an art prize to promote one Indian artist by awarding a commissioned art project, which would be displayed in the upcoming edition in 2025. This is the first award of its kind and at USD 100,000, it is also South Asia’s largest. As one of the VIP guests at the opening remarked, “The fusion of traditional and modern influences indicates to me that India’s soft power, art, will be it’s greatest power.” These words couldn’t be more true!
Winter art in Bengal
The land that has birthed the writers and artists who defined the country’s cultural landscape, finally had its very own cultural extravaganza this year, the Bengal Biennale. Set across 27 venues, the maiden edition featured more than 100 artists.
The biennale exposes visitors to diverse artistic practices, with both established and upcoming artists being given a platform. One of the major shows is a retrospective on Rabindranath Tagore showcasing 85 of his works and the inclusion of several such solo shows is a unique feature of the Bengal biennale, as most contemporary biennales do not focus on individual voices.
Some of the notable works include Mithu Sen’s ‘I am Ol Chiki’, which gives us a glimpse of the culture in the Santhal village, with a mural featuring the Ol Chiki script, Nikhil Chopra’s performance, ‘Land becoming Water’ set in the fields of Santiniketan, where the earth transforms when rain drenched and Paresh Maity’s larger than life interactive bronze sculpture of a jackfruit asking many others.
With the event on till the January 5, 2025, the first edition promises to enrich and leave a lasting imprint on the artistic landscape of the state as well as the country.