The year 2023 was marked by substantial growth for Indian contemporary art. The vibrancy of the art ecosystem fostered by various stakeholders propelled it onto a global stage creating more opportunities for it to flourish. Many milestones made the year evident as a magnificent one for Indian contemporary art.
The year started off with SH Raza’s largest-ever retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in Paris which was a first major monographic show of the artist, taking place in a state-run institution. This significant show focusing on an Indian modernist master laid the base for an active interest in Indian art on an international platform.
Another milestone was the inception of a new art fair in Mumbai. Art Mumbai was definitely one of the key highlights of the art calendar in 2023 marked by a cultural extravaganza consisting of exhibitions by galleries and artists all over India, curated discussions, walkthroughs, book launches and more. The emergence of this fair not only contributed to the local art scene, but also reinforced Mumbai’s position as a cultural powerhouse with an inherently inclusive artistic spirit.
The year also saw ground-breaking records attained by Indian artists in auctions. Amrita Sher-Gil’s canvas The Story Teller (1937) was sold for `61.80 crore at Saffronart’s New Delhi auction setting a new world record for Indian art. Besides, many artist records were broken including the likes of Paresh Maity, Manisha Parekh among others, widely demonstrating a growing demand for Indian contemporary art among collectors.
Museums and institutions have always played a central role fostering cultural exchange by celebrating and documenting contemporary artistic practices transcending boundaries. These institutions are of utmost significance as they integrate and educate the public. Two principal events that further strengthened the position of Indian art are the first-ever India Art, Architecture and Design Biennale organised at the Red Fort and the Bihar Museum Biennale that featured exhibitions, symposiums, virtual tours and captivating art showcases.
Several art weeks held across the country saw an extensive role for the galleries in contributing to the vibrant art scene. These saw public and private entities come together, to instil knowledge among the community with regard to Indian contemporary art. For instance, National Gallery of Modern Art collaborated with Delhi Art Week (DAW) and India Art Fair for special programming during DAW. These initiatives enhanced the role of galleries further transforming them from being platforms for artistic showcase to arenas of crucial discussions.
India Art Fair is round the corner to re-energise the art spirit in the capital in their 15th edition. With active programming and international collaborations, 2024 seems to be a very promising year for Indian art.
Sunaina Anand
Founder and Director, Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi
sunaina@artalivegallery.com