Established in 2008, India Art Fair Delhi is the leading platform to discover modern and contemporary art from South Asia and has led the way in the region, helping to grow and shape the local art scene and market. The launch of India Art Fair Contemporary in Mumbai follows many years of meaningful engagement and support for the city’s galleries, institutions and arts initiatives and marks a new chapter in the long-standing commitment of India Art Fair to the city, offering a dedicated moment to champion its creativity. Following the highly successful introduction of collectible design into India Art Fair Delhi in 2024, the advent of the Mumbai fair is testament to the continued ascension of South Asia in the contemporary art and design market, furthering India’s status as a global creative hub.
India Art Fair Contemporary will be led by India Art Fair Delhi’s director Jaya Asokan, who brings her wealth of experience across the creative industries to this new edition of the fair. Asokan, who continues to also lead the New Delhi fair, will be supported by a dedicated Mumbai-based team that will work closely with the city’s galleries and institutions, alongside the existing India Art Fair team in New Delhi.
Jaya Asokan, Fair Director, India Art Fair Delhi and India Art Fair Contemporary, said: “We are thrilled to bring a fresh contemporary art and design fair to the thriving cultural scene of Mumbai, home to many of our long-term exhibitors, partners, patrons and visitors. The appetite for art in India has grown significantly over recent years, and this is the perfect time to launch a bold new fair focussing on the contemporary moment. We have been proud to support many of the city’s arts initiatives for several years now, and we could not be more excited to host our first fair right in the heart of Mumbai.”
Sandy Angus, Chairman, Angus Montgomery Arts (AMA), said: “Over the years we have been delighted with the growth of India Art Fair Delhi, and we are pleased to now be bringing a new offering to Mumbai, a city in which we have long sought to further deepen our existing roots. Mumbai is home to a vibrant and distinct local scene, with a strong appeal for international collectors and visitors; we look forward to staging this timely first edition in 2025.”
A major global film, entertainment and financial capital, Mumbai is home to a diverse arts ecosystem, composed of a vibrant community of artists, designers, galleries and collectors. Over the past years, the city has seen the exponential rise of private galleries, cultural institutions and boundary-breaking art spaces, including the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, new locations for leading Indian galleries, and the strengthening of the annual Mumbai Gallery Weekend – which has consistently been part of the IAF Parallel programme. The launch of India Art Fair Contemporary marks the next step for the local cultural scene, bringing the highest calibre of international art and design to its engaged audiences. Taking place in a month of art activations in Mumbai, the fair acts as a central touchpoint to discover forward-thinking contemporary art practices.
Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, Managing Trustee and Director, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai said: “Mumbai has always been the home ground for cultural innovation. The expansion of India Art Fair to Mumbai with a contemporary art focus is perfectly in line with the city’s avant-garde status, and a great sign for the future of its large base of artists and creatives.”
Sangita Jindal, Chairperson, JSW Foundation said: “India Art Fair has been essential to the arts and patron community in the country, and it’s so exciting to see the fair expanding to Mumbai with a venture like India Art Fair Contemporary. I am always looking for fresh young talent and practices, and a platform dedicated to new ideas in art and design is exactly what we need right now.”
Taking an innovative approach in its layout, the fair will break down boundaries between art and design, presenting all booths in a single space to promote cross-disciplinary and cross-regional collaboration. Besides single gallery presentations, the fair will invite artist-led initiatives, large-scale works, collaborative presentations by Indian and international galleries, and patron-supported booths to ensure the widest possible range of works on view. In addition, taking its cue from Mumbai’s historic significance as a port city, the fair will place a special curatorial focus on artists and designers from the greater South Asian, African and South American regions, encouraging new connections among diverse contemporary practices. An advisory committee will select the participants, prioritising ultra-contemporary practices from South Asia and exciting international names rarely shown in India, with the aim of bringing a fresh offering to Mumbai’s growing collector base, stimulating the market potential of innovative practices and further cementing South Asia’s important position in the global contemporary art market.
Aparajita Jain, Executive Director, Nature Morte said: “India’s art market is going to continue to expand with an increasingly engaged young collecting base, who are always looking for new ideas in art. India Art Fair Contemporary is coming at the right time to the right city for India’s contemporary art market. Given its focus, the new fair creates the right incentive for both galleries and collectors. We are glad that more initiatives are beginning – further laying the foundation for art in India.”
Alongside booth presentations, India Art Fair Contemporary will present unique institution-led programming elements as part of dynamic public, VIP and collectors’ programmes that further activate and celebrate Mumbai’s rich homegrown arts and cultural scenes beyond the fairgrounds.
Applications for the inaugural edition of India Art Fair Contemporary will open later this year. India Art Fair Delhi, the leading platform showcasing modern and contemporary art from India and South Asia, returns for its 16th edition at NSIC Grounds, New Delhi, 6 – 9 February 2025.
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