The depth, diversity, and bold experimental spirit of Indian art have solidified its appeal, and over the past decade, India’s art market has swiftly become one of Asia’s most dynamic cultural arenas. This growing global interest will be on full display at the inaugural Art Asia Delhi, set to take place at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Dwarka from September 25 to 28. The largest Korea-led international art exhibition ever to be held in India, Art Asia Delhi, will showcase over 700 artworks by more than 200 artists from five countries, including Korea, India, the United States, and Japan.
Korea, recognised as a global cultural powerhouse and the birthplace of K-pop and K-beauty phenomena, now brings its artistic vision to India. The opening of the first Korean Cultural Centre in South Asia in New Delhi, more than a decade ago, marked the beginning of a vibrant cultural exchange. Today, Korean galleries and artists regularly participate in the India Art Fair, South Asia’s oldest and most prestigious international art fair. This growing synergy between Korean cultural diplomacy and India’s flourishing art market highlights how both nations are collectively shaping a new chapter in the global art scene.
Art Asia Delhi 2025 will present another remarkable opportunity for Indian audiences to engage with the works of Korean masters. The exhibition will feature the late Kim Tschang-Yeul, internationally acclaimed for his iconic “water drop” paintings; Lee Bae, known for his material-driven abstraction; and Kim Hyung-Dae, whose luminous layers explore Korean tradition through light. A special highlight will be a dedicated showcase of Choi Young-Wook’s work, known for his meditative Moon Jars and collected by the likes of Bill Gates.
From India, the exhibition will bring together works by legendary modernists such as SH Raza, Krishen Khanna, Ram Kumar, and G. R. Santosh. These masters delve deeply into abstraction, symbolism, and narrative, expressing memory, nature, and myth through a spiritual and tactile visual language that continues to resonate across generations.
What unites these artists—despite differences in geography and style—is a shared quest: to explore what lies beyond the visible. Their practices reflect a deep engagement with tradition while pushing towards innovation, embodying decades of perseverance, vision, and mastery.
By placing Indian and Korean works together, the exhibition reveals how both cultures respond to universal themes such as identity, memory, and spirituality—each through its own lens, yet echoing similar sensibilities. For Indian viewers, encountering Korean art offers a reflective mirror—inviting them to see their own heritage anew. For Korean artists and international collectors, India represents a dynamic and evolving landscape—with a burgeoning art market, a new generation of collectors, and an increasingly significant global presence.
Art Asia Delhi 2025 will be a cultural platform where traditions meet, conversations unfold, and new perspectives emerge. It celebrates creative dialogue, highlights the strength of Indo-Korean relations, and opens pathways for deeper collaboration.
(Director of Exhibitor Relations at India Art Fair)