6th edition of India Art Fair from 30 January

With a programme, which includes Art Projects, a Speakers’ Forum and a city wide Collateral Events schedule, the India Art Fair (IAF) has a by invitation VIP preview on 30 January, organisers announced in a statement on Saturday.

The Fair, which held its first edition in 2008, has grown to be an epicentre for art in India, with a global reputation for being one of South Asia’s leading art fairs.

The upcoming edition showcases 91 booths from India and across the world and aims to expose local and international artists to a large and diverse audience.

47 Indian galleries have been lined up to exhibit a breadth of modern and contemporary art practices including painting, sculpture, new media, installation and performance art.

‘This year’s international galleries represent a dynamic mix, from returning European galleries, to a number of cutting edge newcomers, who all share the common goal to explore the Indian art market, forge key relationships and meet new collectors from South Asia,’ organisers said.

An extensive Art Projects programme spanning the outdoor and indoor fair space is set to be focus of the fair this year.

Highlights of the programme include ‘Listen Up!’ a public sound art project and a city-wide installation to make sound art publicly accessible through cellular phones.

Among the rich selection of other participators, artist Dayanita Singh is set to present excerpts from her critically acclaimed File Room series, which has been shown this year at the Venice Biennale and the Hayward Gallery, London.

Jose Garcia Miguel (Perve Galeria, Portugal) has lined up a multi-arts installation ‘Tears of Portugal’ encompassing video, photography and performance.

This year’s fair has also attracted leading jewellery designer Nirav Modi who is set to present a collection of custom made designs inspired by motifs from the Mughal miniature school of art, encrusted with precious gems and priceless diamonds.

Cultural events which are set to take place alongside this edition of IAF include Insert2014, an exhibition curated by Raqs Media Collective, of 20 leading international and Indian artists, and Word. Sound. Power a collaborative exhibition by Khoj International Artists’ Association and the Tate Modern.

The fair also hosts a curated programme, in collaboration with public institutions, galleries and private art organisations, for visiting collectors and museums.