The upcoming 15th edition of the India Art Fair 2024 (IAF) in New Delhi, slated for February 1-4 at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds, will witness a significant participation from Hyderabad, with three local galleries – Kalakriti, Shrishti, and Dhi Contemporary – poised to exhibit an array of artworks. Approximately 100 exhibitors are anticipated at the event, including 71 galleries and seven design studios, alongside a selection of regional art institutes.
Kalakriti art gallery has been an active participant in the IAF since its 2014 edition. This year, at booth number D08, Kalakriti presents “Windows to the Gods,” featuring the artistry of Telugu artists Nagesh Goud, R Giridhar Gowd, Sachin Jaltare, and Priyanka Aelay. Their work beautifully intertwines paintings, sculptures, poetry, and text, drawing inspiration from and reinterpreting ancient stories from the puranas with a focus on spirituality and faith.
Sachin Jaltare’s abstract figuratives, for example, represent a fusion of physical form and the ethereal spirit. Through his art, he contemplates deities such as Shiva, Shakti, and Krishna, evoking introspection and a conscious awakening. Employing acrylics, watercolors, and ink, his pieces radiate a serene and meditative quality accentuated by subtle color palettes and touches of vermillion.
Priyanka Aelay extends her fascination with the epic Ramayana into her dark-themed forest landscapes. Profound greens and blues define her acrylic on linen canvas works, where motifs such as a fruit-eating monkey echo Hanuman’s adventures, while other elements pay homage to Sita’s plight. These visually arresting pieces engage with nature’s enigmatic beauty and its connection to ancient tales.
Contrastingly, R Giridhar Gowd is all about traditional depictions of divine entities. Drawing on the Vijayanagara style and informed by scholarly religious texts, his miniatures explore the profoundness of Shiva and Shakti.
Equally engaging is Nagesh Goud’s innovative exploration of wall-mounted masks and tabletop sculptures, integrating texts from Krishna and Rama’s stories into his craft. For the artist, creating these pieces wrought from fibreglass was a meticulous process that involved working with clay models over the span of a year.
For Rekha Lahoti, co-founder and CEO of Kalakriti, the satisfaction comes as visitors remember past exhibits and show enthusiasm for what’s emerging. This year, the gallery encouraged the artists to engage mythology with a contemporary lens and through diverse media.
Shrishti art gallery rejoins the IAF after a decade’s hiatus, with a showcase dedicated to Chippa Sudhakar’s mixed media artworks at booth E11. Following exhibits in Hyderabad and New Delhi that examined themes of migration and rapid urbanisation, this series advances by utilizing wood, terracotta, soil, and metal to express the two-dimensional and three-dimensional facets of these themes.
Lakshmi Nambiar, at the helm of Shrishti, navigates the transition from vision to reality, presenting over 20 recent works ranging from sprawling 12-foot pieces to tiny one-inch creations. The artist’s recent history showcases urban encroachment, once-suburban landscapes morphing into cityscapes of high rises, and the loss of natural co-inhabitants, a phenomenon Sudhakar has closely observed from his Vanasthalipuram studio.
Meanwhile, Dhi Contemporary, from the stable of Dhi Art Gallery, announces its second successive IAF showing. Featuring artists Arjun Das, Leena Raj, Poorvesh Patel, Sumana Som, Akhil Mohan, and Harun Al Rashid, this gallery continues to offer a platform for emerging talent, fostering a dialogue around contemporary art. Whether through meditations on everyday life, ecological engagements, or reflecting personal histories, the artists of Dhi Contemporary at Booth A07 employ varied media to share their distinctive perspectives.
As the IAF draws near, the fusion of contemporary insights and traditional narratives from these Hyderabad galleries promises an intriguing cultural discourse, offering a glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of artistic expression that these artists embody.
