A fair to remember
There is that unmistakable buzz in the air. For art aficionados it’s the best of times, surely. The India Art Fair (IAF) is all set to be back to regale collectors, academics and enthusiasts with its largest edition yet.
Needless to say, IAF director Jaya Asokan is excited, “This year’s show reflects the evolving maturity of the Indian art market. The addition of new exhibitors signals the growing allure and influence of the fair.” The 24 new exhibitors include a mix of international heavyweights and emerging Indian galleries, “reflecting the fair’s dual commitment to global dialogue and unwavering support for the arts ecosystem,” says Asokan.
Among the many new and remarkable works on modern and contemporary art on view at the fair, Asokan is looking forward to the David Zwirner gallery—with branches in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Hong Kong—that will show two new sculptures by US-based sculptor Huma Bhabha, who has become one of the most acclaimed contemporary artists internationally.
The large humanoid sculptures can be imagined as aliens that have just landed from outer-space with a message for humanity. What is that message? “That’s for the viewer to decode,” smiles Asokan. Then there is IAF’s Artist-in-Residence programme that acts as the perfect launchpad for bold, boundary-breaking voices. One installation that Asokan is really proud to show is Polish queer artist Liactuallee’s Transmutations.

“This outdoor installation breathes new life into overlooked materials, using the tactile craft of crochet to explore themes of transformation, imagination, and ecological sustainability,” she says. The work will later travel to Muso, an experiential children’s museum located in the heart of Mumbai at Lower Parel.
Every year, the large tents of the fair become the largest canvas for a leading artist or collective, who use it to set the tone for the IAF experience. This year, the facade is designed by Ayesha Singh, and is supported by MASH. Titled Skewed Histories and Site Lines, it delves into Singh’s ongoing research on the contributions of women to Indian architecture, from acts of patronage as early as 1000 AD to the pioneering achievements of women architects in the modernist era.
“By challenging their erasure in history, Singh’s facade honours these untold stories and reimagines collective horizons, inviting a shift in perspective towards a more inclusive architectural narrative,” says Asokan. In the Design section, which debuted last year, she advises to look out for Studio Raw Material, the design studio based out of Jaipur and Markana in Rajasthan. “They work with marble offcuts to make one-of-a-kind objects and furnishings that pay homage to the raw beauty of the discarded.”
As part of the Young Collectors’ Programme—a platform for emerging collectors—Mumbai-based gallery Strangers House will present an exhibition titled The Panorama Beyond the Colour Line, which will features artists who engage with alternative materiality, challenging conventional socio-political and aesthetic norms.

By integrating indigenous chromatic vocabularies—often reductively categorised as ‘tribal art’—the exhibition interrogates misclassifications while reflecting on shifts within the global art landscape. “The Young Collectors’ Programme fosters a deeper connection between diverse artistic voices and an inquisitive new generation of art patrons,” says the fair director.
Internationally, South Asian art is experiencing a significant moment, with increased representation at the Venice Biennale and exhibitions such as The Imaginary Institution of India at the Barbican in London. What else is driving this growth? “Besides the increased global representation, there has been growth in emerging markets.
Tier-2 and tier-3 cities have seen a surge in collector activity, supported by new art hubs such as Hampi Art Labs and Jaipur Centre for Art. Also, collectors aged 30-50 from tech, finance, and creative industries are redefining the market with a digital-first approach and an interest in experimental art forms,” she says. Art is no longer niche; it is a mass movement.
When & Where
India Art Fair; NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Delhi; February 6-9