Highlights from the India Art Fair 2025

The India Art Fair, held in New Delhi between February 6-9, 2025, has cemented its position as South Asia’s premier platform for modern and contemporary art, a vibrant confluence of established masters, emerging talent, and innovative design. By Aishwarya Kulkarni

The 2025 edition of India Art Fair was no exception, a dazzling collection that reflected the dynamism of the region’s art scene and its increasing engagement with global dialogues.  From thought-provoking installations that challenged societal norms to minutely designed objects that manifested into ancient traditions, the fair offered a truly exhilarating experience.

Aishwarya Kulkarni takes us through some of the highlights, offering insights into the artists and their works, revealing the stories and inspirations behind the art.  Here’s a closer look at some of the most compelling artists and designers who made the India Art Fair 2025 an unforgettable experience:

Jenny Bhatt: “Bond to Bachchan”

Jenny Bhatt, a new media artist since the late 80s, brought her pop-surrealist vision to the India Art Fair with “Bond to Bachchan”, an exhibition curated by Georgina Maddox and presented by Masha Art. This solo show explored the cultural impact of two titans: James Bond and Amitabh Bachchan.

Bhatt’s work reflects on the golden age of cinema, when these larger-than-life figures united audiences. The exhibition employed interactive digital installations, augmented reality (AR), and mixed media, creating an immersive experience.

Twelve AR-activated paintings and fifteen animations within the interactive installation peeled back layers of cinematic history, celebrating the enduring magic of cinema and its iconic narratives.

Masha Art, established in 2018 has a flagship gallery at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, and collections at prestigious locations like The Lodhi and DLF Emporio. Masha Art provides an  art investment experience, integrating art with cutting-edge technology and promoting Indian artisans and craftspeople.

Gunjan Gupta: “Continuum”

Globally acclaimed product designer Gunjan Gupta unveiled “Continuum” at the India Art Fair. This series of handmade objects and artworks breathes new life into traditional Indian crafts. With over 20 years in collectible design and exhibitions at prestigious international venues, Gupta continues the legacy of “GG Collectibles”.

Known for its avant-garde appeal, “GG Collectibles” are sought-after by collectors and grace luxury homes and museums. Gupta’s work explores India’s complex culture and questions societal norms through collectible design, creating international-quality artworks rooted in Indian crafts and traditions.

“Bidar-chitecture Shelving and Storage Units”, a part of Gupta’s exhibition, exemplify this approach. These units, crafted from Bidri, leather, and plywood, measure 38cm x 38cm x 38cm per unit, with shelf dimensions of 38cm x 33cm x 5cm.  Available in editions of 12 per unit, with open editions for the shelves, these units are inspired by the Bidar fort and the exquisite 16th-century Bidri craft.  Master Craftsman and National Awardee Mohammed Abdul Rauf collaborates on these pieces, showcasing the intricate silver inlay on blackened white brass, a hallmark of Bidriware, a 14th-century Indian metal handicraft originating from Bidar, Karnataka. The leather lining is provided by Delhi-based atelier Loco Design. The units were created in 2025.

Nature Morte: A Diverse Collective

Nature Morte presented a diverse group of Indian and international artists at their booth A1. Dayanita Singh’s archival pigment prints from her “Architectural Montages” series blend fragments of real spaces into imagined ones, capturing architectural elements from various eras and locations. Bharti Kher’s 2018 sculpture, “The Watchman,” explores dual identity through hybridized figures, alluding to the androgynous Ardhnarisvara. Raghav Babbar’s figurative works, rooted in his Indian heritage, employ a technique reminiscent of 20th-century British styles. Manu Parekh’s painting on paper, dated 2021, from his “Flowers from Heaven” series showcases his intuitive use of color and bold brushstrokes, depicting women as nature spirits and allegorical figures.

Thukral & Tagra’s work from their “Arboretum” series juxtaposes images of flora with pixelated geometrics, commenting on humanity’s changing relationship with nature in the age of technology.  International highlights included Matti Braun’s untitled painting on silk and iridescent glass sphere sculpture, reflecting his engagement with Indian history and traditions. Oliver Beer’s “Love and Validation” from his Resonance Painting series visualizes musical notes through patterns created by sound waves on powder.

Nature Morte also hosted solo exhibitions by Sagarika Sundaram and Remen Chopra W. Van Der Vaart in their Delhi gallery spaces, and Parul Gupta’s solo show “In Praise of Limits” was on view in their Mumbai gallery.

Parallel projects at the fair by Nature Morte artists included Asim Waqif’s “Make-Shift”, Ayesha Singh’s IAF Façade, and Vibha Galhotra’s “Orbis Unum”.  Waqif’s “Make-Shift” explores the power of improvisation in art and design using a repurposed cement truck chassis and scrap metal. Singh’s IAF Façade honors women’s contributions to Indian architecture. Galhotra’s “Orbis Unum” deconstructs boundaries of religion, power, and hierarchy through multi-colored flags inscribed with Buddhist teachings.

Indu Antony: “Cecilia’ed”

Multidisciplinary artist Indu Antony, based in Bangalore and Kerala, explores feminist themes and the presence of gendered bodies in public spaces. Her project, “Cecilia’ed”, challenges traditional gender norms by engaging with spaces in Bangalore often deemed ‘unsafe’ for women.

Through a ceremonial show centered around Cecilia, an 80-year-old woman who embodies strength and resilience, Antony re-imagines these gendered spaces.  Inspired by mass media advertisements, Cecilia becomes an unlikely star, her courage and zest for life inspiring admiration. The project incorporates old lithograph posters, sonic maps, and photo albums, documenting the gendered histories of these spaces.  Antony’s work also includes the first-ever drag king photo series, “ManiFest”, which raised awareness about LGBTQI+ issues.

She is also passionate about community work, establishing art centers like Kanike and Namma Katte, and the self-publishing platform Mazhi books.

Nolwa Studio: “The Bidri Collection”

Hyderabad-based Nolwa Studio, founded by Rohit Naag, operates at the intersection of contemporary design and traditional craft. Their debut collection, “The Bidri Collection”, launched at Design Miami/Basel and showcased at the India Art Fair, reimagines the ancient Indian metal-inlay technique, Bidri.

Naag, driven by a passion for design and a desire to elevate Indian craftsmanship, collaborated with global designers like Ammar Kalo, Arielle Assouline-Lichten, Gunnar Rönsch, and Stephen K Molloy to create this collection.

Working with Bidri master artisan M.A. Rauf, Nolwa Studio introduced design and engineering innovations, creating three-dimensional pieces of larger scale than traditionally seen in Bidri. The collection comprises four unique pieces: “Horizon Lamp”, “Monolith”, “Drop Table”, and “Facet Mirror”. “Horizon Lamp” blends Bidri with organic forms, “Monolith” is a cuboid standing lamp inspired by linear abstraction, “Drop Table” uses mathematical patterns found in nature, and “Facet Mirror” highlights the subtle shifts of textures in Bidri.

Nolwa Studio plans to explore other crafts and regions in the future, aiming to revive and reinterpret India’s rich artisanal heritage. Their bar cabinet, incorporating a design informed by parametric architecture, was a new launch at the India Art Fair 2025.

Siri Devi Khandavilli: “Shoonya”

Multidisciplinary artist Siri Devi Khandavilli’s “Shoonya” series explores the concept of emptiness and infinite potential.  The term “Shoonya” carries varied meanings, from the mathematical zero to the philosophical void, symbolising interconnectedness and the space from which everything arises. Khandavilli’s metal, ink, and paint on canvas works, each measuring 76 x 55 inches and created in 2025, reflect this exploration.

Her practice bridges tradition and innovation, drawing from Indian artistic legacies while engaging in contemporary dialogue.  Working across sculpture, painting, and printmaking, Khandavilli explores themes of cultural migration, feminism, ecology, mythology, and the nature of reality. Her use of mirroring, both literal and conceptual, and her exploration of control and unpredictability create layered interpretations.  Khandavilli’s “Shoonya” series was exhibited at the India Art Fair 2025.

Devadeep Gupta: “We Must Therefore Turn Our Attention Skywards”

Presented by Prameya Art Foundation (PRAF) at the India Art Fair, Devadeep Gupta’s work explores the complex relationship between a rainforest-wildlife habitat, an adjoining coal-oil field, and a contiguous forest-village in Margherita, Assam. Gupta’s research focuses on the impact of colonial extractivism and its modern ramifications on the native communities.

His project, We Must Therefore Turn Our Attention Skywards, assembles anecdotal and rebellious ruptures in the everyday, circadian meta-cultural actions, and archival excavations to portray the symbiosis and dialogue among communities, ecological actors, the petrochemical-industrial-capitalist complex, and transcendent co-existences. Gupta’s work highlights the resilience of the native communities in the face of ecological crises. The project includes narratives of individuals like Bijoy, who imitates bird calls, Ajay, who challenges the industrial complex, and the rogue elephant, Tempu.  These stories illustrate the complex relationship between humans, nature, and industry in the region. PRAF’s Discover initiative supports young, emerging artists by providing production and installation support, along with a dedicated exhibition space at the India Art Fair. Gupta’s work was displayed at Booth No. J07.

Yogesh Barve: “I am not your Dalit”

Art and Charlie made their debut at the India Art Fair 2025 with a powerful outdoor installation by Yogesh Barve. Titled “I am not your Dalit”, the work is a layered and nuanced commentary on caste discrimination in India, designed to disrupt the cultural consciousness of fair attendees. Using flexible LED panels, electronics, and metal, the installation, with a duration of 1753 hours, 28 minutes, and 44 seconds, draws inspiration from James Baldwin’s “I Am Not Your Negro” and incorporates the writings of B.R. Ambedkar.

Barve utilises the familiar form of suspended LED tickers, commonly found in public spaces, to disseminate Ambedkar’s profound ideas on law, human rights, and social justice.  By reimagining these everyday objects, the artist highlights issues of access to education, technology, and marginalised histories, critiquing the fading of crucial social and historical texts from public consciousness.  “I am not your Dalit” serves as a platform for reflection on the intersection of anti-caste activism, technology, and the future of Indian society, prompting viewers to reconsider the enduring relevance of Ambedkar’s vision for a just and equitable nation.

Viraj Khanna: “Love me, Love my Dog”

Two more exhibitions at the India Art Fair 2025 offered distinct perspectives on self-perception and the intersection of art and ancient knowledge.  Viraj Khanna’s “Love me, Love my Dog” explored the complexities of human identity in the digital age.

The exhibition, featuring paintings and embroideries, delved into the visible and hidden layers that comprise an individual, reflecting on perception, insecurities, and the nature of connection in our media-saturated world.  Khanna, a visual artist primarily working with textiles, utilises narrative-based works that stylize the image, often drawing inspiration from eye-catching moments shared on social media.  This exhibition marked the first time Khanna showcased paintings created using embroidery stencils, or “khakha”, as a tool.

In contrast, “Sacred Geometries: Where Cartography Meets the Cosmos”, a collaboration between Kalakriti Archives and architect and origami artist Ankon Mitra, bridged the gap between ancient cartography and contemporary art.  The exhibition juxtaposed complex philosophies embedded in 2D sacred maps and diagrams from Kalakriti Archives’ extensive collection with Mitra’s 3D geometric interpretations.  Mitra, known for his research into geometry and folding techniques, brought his expertise to this project, creating an immersive and mind-bending universe that explored the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern artistic expression.