india art fair solidifies its position in the global arts ecosystem with successful 16th edition

India Art Fair CONCLUDES SUCCESSFUL 16th edition

India Art Fair (IAF) returned to New Delhi this February (2025) with its most ambitious edition yet, solidifying its position as a key event on the global art scene. Held from February 6th to 9th, the 16th IAF brought together a diverse range of galleries, collectors, institutions, artists, and designers, celebrating the dynamism of South Asian art while also attracting prominent international voices. A record 120 exhibitors participated, including 78 leading Indian and international galleries, alongside significant regional and global art institutions. This varied and carefully curated selection offered a wealth of discovery, showcasing a compelling mix of emerging and established talent from both the region and abroad. ‘India Art Fair 2025 was a particularly dynamic edition, with ambitious gallery presentations and rare offerings for the strong group of visiting collectors,’ notes Jaya Asokan, India Art Fair director. ‘We have hosted celebrated artists, gallerists and representatives from leading museums and institutions from across the world at the fair this year.’

IAF 2025 provided a platform for both established and emerging artists. Global art powerhouses like Galleria Continua presented works by major figures such as Anish Kapoor, Ai Weiwei, and Julio Le Parc. David Zwirner’s booth offered a diverse selection, including new and recent pieces by Huma Bhabha and Oscar Murillo, alongside historic works on paper by Paul Klee, Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Box, and an installation by Dan Flavin. Carpenters Workshop Gallery returned for its second year, showcasing design pieces by Nacho Carbonell, Maarten Baas, DRIFT, Vincenzo De Cotiis, and others. With 64 of the 78 participating galleries based in India, the fair emphasized its commitment to being a leading venue for discovering art and culture within the region. Mumbai’s Method gallery championed experimental and emerging artists from India and beyond, including the paintings of Indian-Australian artist Sid Pattni and Kunel Gaur’s stainless steel-framed works. New Delhi’s PHOTOINK highlighted works by prominent photographers, including Rajesh Vora’s Everyday Baroque series, which captures the everyday sculptural adornments of Punjab’s rooftop homes.

As a guest of BMW India, the fair’s long-term presenting partner, designboom had the opportunity to experience firsthand the range of modern and contemporary art from India and South Asia, as well as the fair’s rich program of special projects, curated sections, and international talks. Read on as we unpack some of the highlights from IAF’s 16th edition.

visitor at Chemould CoLab at India Art Fair 2025; above: IAF 2025 Facade | images courtesy of India Art Fair unless stated otherwise

visitors at Lisson Gallery’s booth

A VIBRANT DISPLAY OF OUTDOOR ART PROJECTS AT IAF 2025

India Art Fair 2025 featured a dynamic selection of outdoor art projects, showcasing large-scale works by a range of contemporary artists and designers. Among the more ambitious projects is a site-specific LED installation by the conceptual artist duo Claire Fontaine. Inspired by their acclaimed Foreigners Everywhere series, this new work, curated by Andrea Anastasio and produced by the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre, featured multilingual neon sculptures weaving South Asian influences across multiple locations in New Delhi. On the fairgrounds, Indian artist Asim Waqif repurposed a second-hand cement truck in MAKE-SHIFT, an interactive installation exploring improvisation, materiality, and industrial detritus. Supported by MASH, New Delhi artist Ayesha Singh designed the IAF Facade, drawing inspiration from women’s contributions to Indian architecture, from patronage in 1000 AD to contemporary female architects.

Asim Waqif’s MAKE-SHIFT installation | image © designboom

‘The Future is Born of Art’ BY presenting partner BMW india

As the long-term presenting partner of the India Art Fair, BMW India presented The Future is Born of Art, an annual commission designed to platform a promising young Indian artist on a global stage. For its fourth edition, the commission invited emerging artists to propose an immersive installation centered around the BMW iX1 LWB, MINI Countryman Electric, and BMW Motorrad CE 02 and CE 04, reflecting on the theme of ‘Ecocentrism.’ The winning project, Biolume by Non-Linear (Dennis Peter) and Cursorama (Yash Chandak), unveiled a 180-degree multimedia experience inspired by bioluminescent organisms. ‘Bioluminescence is nature’s sci-fi—a glowing, electric language that exists in harmony with its surroundings,’ explains Dennis Peter of Non-Linear. Biolume integrates generative design and biomimicry to immerse visitors in a dark environment of interactive screens that respond to their movements.

‘We take immense pride in our creative collaboration with the India Art Fair, as it continues to champion India’s diverse and thriving contemporary arts landscape,’ says Vikram Pawah, President and CEO of BMW Group India. ‘Our shared vision for a future that is both creative and sustainable is perfectly encapsulated by the latest edition of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission. This groundbreaking initiative explores how the harmonious integration of ecological and technological thinking can create a more sustainable, balanced, and regenerative world – all through the captivating lens of an artist’s vision.’

Dennis Peter and Yash Chandak with Jaya Asokan, India Art Fair director, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst, Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group | image courtesy BMW AG and India Art Fair

THE SECOND YEAR OF India Art Fair’s Design section

The Design section returned for its second year with increased prominence, building on the success of its inaugural showcase at IAF 2024. Highlighting the thriving design scene in South Asia, eleven studios exhibited at the fair, while Shifting Horizons, a special presentation curated by Alaiia Gujral, featured seventeen emerging Indian designers.

Rajasthan-based Studio Raw Material, whose work was also recently on view at Friedman Benda (see here), presented compositions of stacked marble offcuts from the local stone industry in the form of chairs, consoles, and desks. In CONTINUUM, Gunjan Gupta collaborated with craft connoisseur Lekha Poddar to create functional objects in partnership with India’s master craftsmen and ateliers. Mumbai-based Studio Nyn unveiled a collection of collectible design pieces with artists Thamshangpa (Merci) Maku and Anikesa Dhing, blurring the lines between form and imagination.

Gunjan Gupta | image courtesy of Gunjan Gupta

A RICH TALKS PROGRAM and India’s first craft prize announced

IAF’s ambitious talks program, Growing Focus, supported by JSW, featured an impressive roster of speakers curated by independent researcher and curator Shaleen Wadhwana. Leading artists, designers, gallerists, global museum directors, patrons, and market specialists from around the world convened to examine the growing prominence of South Asia in contemporary art, design, and culture. Across three days, the fair hosted 17 talks, with speakers including Claire Fontaine, Hans Ulrich Obrist (Artistic Director at the Serpentine Galleries), and Ute Meta Bauer (Director of the Centre for Contemporary Art in Singapore), among many others.

‘This is a real opportunity to start thinking about new connections, new networks; really building more links between Africa, the Middle East, and Asia and thinking about how we can show the world what a collective humanity looks like, moving away from those colonial narratives that we are all trying to sidestep, to really shape a new narrative,’ mentions Azu Nwagbogu, founder and director of African Artists’ Foundation and LagosPhoto Festival. Nwagbogu participated in Museums as Incubators, a panel discussion with Naomi Beckwith (Deputy Director and Jennifer and David Stockman Chief Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; and Artistic Director, Documenta 16), Tasneem Zakaria Mehta (Managing Trustee and Director, Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum), and Ferran Barenblit (Independent Curator, Former Director, MACBA and CA2M, Spain). Moderated by Kamini Sawhney (Independent Curator and Board Member, CIMAM), the panel explored how intergenerational support in museums fosters conscious cultural leadership, bolsters marginalized narratives beyond tokenistic representation, and provides a realistic perspective on the work that remains to be done.

Renowned artists Shirazeh Houshiary, Bharti Kher, and Pushpamala N. participated in BMW’s Art Talk, From Introspection to Impact: Artists Shaping the World, moderated by Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst, Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group. The conversation explored how artists, in an increasingly polarized world, can encourage deeper thought and challenge conventional perspectives, fostering kinship and solidarity across borders and generations. The panelists discussed how artists reflect the world’s evolution through their work, bridging cultural ecosystems—a role that aligns with BMW’s ongoing commitment to art and culture.

During the fair, the Swali Craft Prize, India’s first grant recognizing contemporary craft innovation, was also launched, marking a transformative moment in the country’s interdisciplinary artistic landscape. Founded by Karishma Swali and the Chanakya Foundation in partnership with the India Art Fair, the Craft Prize is an ode to exceptional craftsmanship that bridges heritage with contemporary expression. The winning artist will co-create an ambitious installation with the Chanakya School of Craft, to be unveiled at India Art Fair 2026.

Floor Lamp Concrete Base 7 by Nacho Carbonell, on view at Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s booth | image courtesy of the gallery

Visitor at GALLERYSKE

inside the BMW Collectors’ Lounge | image courtesy BMW AG and India Art Fair

Julio Le Parc at Galleria Continua

Weeping Ancestors by Atul Dodiya at Vadehra Art Gallery

Kunel Gaur’s stainless steel-framed works at Method gallery | image © designboom

project info:

name: India Art Fair 2025 | @indiaartfair

presenting partner: BMW India | @bmwindia_official

dates: 6-9 February 2025

location: NSIC Exhibition Grounds, New Delhi

The 17th edition of India Art Fair will take place at NSIC Grounds, Okhla, New Delhi from 5-8 February 2026.