Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Aesthetes
visitors alike. I’ve also been wanting Building A Sustainable Ecosystem
to develop the fair’s curatorial focus.
Going forward, we will encourage our HAVING SPENT THE BETTER HALF decorative and conceptual works —
galleries to showcase works by artists OF YOUR LIFE IN LONDON, WHAT and I have a preference for the latter.
who have never exhibited at the fair WOULD YOU SAY IS THE BIGGEST At the fair itself, you’ll find plenty
before. This is both a way of promoting DIFFERENTIATING FACTOR AS FAR of contemporary artists addressing
newer names and building a sustainable AS THE ART SCENE IS CONCERNED some of the most pressing issues of
ecosystem while also encouraging IN INDIA VERSUS THE UK? our times. Some examples from this
that sense of something new and There are far greater opportunities year include Rithika Merchant’s new
discovery. We will also be reimagining to make new discoveries in India. and beautiful drawings that capture
our collateral events programme to The artists have a background in the very essence of migration; a film
encourage our visitors to discover multiple disciplines and are constantly by Hetain Patel, where he makes
standout exhibitions and events taking developing their practice. I see them clever use of thrilling costumes and
place in New Delhi around the fair in supporting and mentoring each other, sensational soundtracks to question
January 2019. The next edition of the often pushing the next generation to existing notions of gender, race and
As genres are getting redefined, the Indian art scene is being restructured using IAF opens on January 31 and will be on have the same opportunities that they identity; and the large and seductive
exciting new forms and cultural codes. Speaking about the latest developments until February 3, 2019. did. There is a sense of community architectural paintings by Tanya Goel
here, and this can only be good for that make a strong statement on
in two contrasting, yet correlative, experiences, Jagdip Jagpal, director and THIS YEAR, THE IAF INTRODUCED the sector as a whole. The galleries urbanisation. Personally, I really enjoy
re-inventor of the India Art Fair, and Tarini Sethi and Anant Ahuja, founders of ‘I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST and collectors are also demonstrating and appreciate performance art.
SUMMER’, A SECTION THAT GAVE greater curiosity and encouraging new
The Irregulars Art Fair, each curate a list of innovative multidisciplinary artists THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY talent in different ways. HOW IS THE ART SCENE EVOLVING
TO VIEW ART MADE BY INDIAN AS THE INTERNET INCREASINGLY
AND SOUTH ASIAN ARTISTS ART HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR
ABROAD. WHAT DRAWS YOU USED AS A MEDIUM TO REPRESENT INDIVIDUALS TO SO EASILY
TOWARDS INDIAN AND SOUTH AND CONVEY THE SOCIO- DISSEMINATE THEIR ARTWORK?
ASIAN ART? POLITICAL CLIMATE OF THE The internet has vastly transformed
Prior to joining the fair, I was lucky MOMENT. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES the art world and some consider it as
enough to have had the opportunity THAT YOU FIND YOUNG INDIAN significant a technological medium as
to interact with some leading artists ARTISTS FOCUSSING ON? IN the camera was for the last century.
TEXT AND INTERVIEWS BY TINA DASTUR AND PREKSHA SHARMA and arts professionals from South TODAY’S DAY AND AGE, DO YOU The young generation is experimenting
Asia. I was impressed by the amount THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ART a lot with the medium to produce really
of activity taking place. As a person TO SAY SOMETHING RATHER THAN high quality, interactive digital works.
of Indian heritage, I feel so proud of JUST BE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL Of course, there are many others who
the quality of art and ambassadorship TO LOOK AT — OR DOES THAT do not only work with the internet but
demonstrated by our artists. I am keen INTERFERE WITH THE VISCERAL instead, use it to find inspiration or
that local audiences get the chance to EXPERIENCE OF VIEWING ART? share glimpses of their practice. Many
engage with some of the works that As a viewer, I tend to instinctively of them are being discovered online by
they are exhibiting across the world. differentiate between purely galleries, dealers and collectors.
two years in the Gulf. After a period I’m trying to create new languages
of extensive travel, he decided to to address the idea of possible
historical trauma have had a major the work. Visually, I hope to cultivate
influence on my art practice,” details a curiosity, but also nurture a sense of
the artist. the unknown, which allows the viewer
One particular exhibit of Voogel’s a certain sense of exploration,” he
that explored this theme in great frankly states.
detail was The Weight of Separation Voogel, who divides his time
(2017), which he began working on between Northern California and
at Khoj in 2016. However, the story Taipei City, recently participated in
CURATOR-SPEAK behind the work began in the early an exhibition titled New Traditions:
ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): WEIGHT III, FOUND OBJECT, 2016;
1900s when his grandfather’s mother Influences and Inspirations in Indian DIAGRAM II, INK ON PAPER, 2017
“I was immediately drawn to his was forcibly separated from her Textiles, 1947-2017 at the Jawahar Kala
work, which was exhibited at the family in Uttar Pradesh and brought Kendra, Jaipur, curated by Mayank
Khirkee Festival organised by Khoj in to the Caribbean via Kolkata. “There’s Mansingh Kaul. Presently, he is working
New Delhi last year, and have been so much immeasurable trauma that on a solo exhibition that will open in
following his career since.” history enacts upon all of us. This Vienna in 2019.
ALL IMAGES COURTESY: THE ARTIST AND SABRINA AMRANI GALLERY (MADRID)
drawings — so intricate and impactful.” explore set themes in his works. “My - TINA DASTUR