12th Edition India Art Festival Returns with a Spectacular Showcase of Creativity from Feb 8-11

Mumbai: Mumbai is all welcomed the 45 Art Galleries and 550 Artists for the 12th edition of India Art Festival hosted at the Nehru Centre in Worli from February 8 to 11. The edition of India Art Festival at Mumbai after the grand success of respective editions at Delhi and Bengaluru presents city art lovers with wide choices over 5000+ artworks in various styles, different mediums, and myriad subjects. For art enthusiasts and collectors alike, the India Art Festival 2024 is a celebration of diversity, creativity, and the timeless allure of artistic expression. The programme was inaugurated by Hon Mangal Prabhat Lodha. Guardian Minister of State, Maharashtra, Poetess- Philanthropist Manju Lodha, Atul Kulkarni, Kiiran Patel, Rupali Suri and Rozlyn Khan among others.

This year India Art Festival is offering not only a visual feast but also a multitude of fusion shows, live music performances, mesmerizing live painting demonstrations, and captivating film screenings. A standout feature of the event is the enlightening film "The Eternal Canvas – 12,000 Years Journey through Indian Art," a cinematic exploration of India's rich artistic heritage spanning millennia. This cinematic journey provides a sweeping overview of the evolution of Indian art, from prehistoric times to contemporary expressions.

Rajendra Patil, the founder director of India Art Festival, who also serves as the President of the Bombay Art Society, one of the oldest Indian art institutions founded in 1888, and Editor & Publisher of the Indian Contemporary Art Journal, a quarterly art magazine, says, "The primary inspiration behind initiating the India Art Festival back in 2011 was to create a platform that showcases and promotes contemporary art in India, with a particular focus on young emerging artists and mid-level art galleries, as it is often challenging for them to access such platforms or enter the art fair circuit due to huge cost factor."

This year there are quite a few galleries showcasing at the second floor along with many independent artists showcasing their creative genes while also becoming the platform for art collectors and buyers to directly initiate a dialogue with the emerging pool of artistic talents. Seascapes, landscapes, rural and urban scenarios, and abstracts are seen in abundance in the Artists Pavilion with names like Nandini Bajekal, Palak Doshi, Shankar Sharma, Ria Das, Suresh Gosavi, Deepika Shah, Sunandini Balan, Sumatilal Bagde, Kanchan Mahate, Neh Jhunjhuwala, Ridhi Parekh Sandhya Singh, Sapna Agarwal, Arti Bahndari, Ashwin Kumar, Yuvraj Patil Uma Krishnamoorthy, Anushika Dhoot, Pinky Bhatt, Saket Arbhi, Ishita Chowdhury, Asha Shetty, Rashmi Pote, Falguni Mehta, Sharu Anjirbag, Vidita Singh, Madhvi Bhaskar, Susmita Mandal, Geetu Kalani, most of whom are presenting their solo shows.

The solo projects by more than 30 artists on the second floor is a revelation of artistic brilliance, hosting works by over 200 individual artists in group shows, providing them with a unique opportunity to get discovered alongside master artists. Shashwati Devsharma's abstract works, characterized by vivid colour swathes, and Swara Inamdar's art pieces that approach colour field paintings, are captivating highlights.

A myriad of artistic expressions unfolds with Janhavi Bhide, Abhijit Bose, Anisha Kotibhaskar, and Hema Parekh delving into a semi-abstract idiom, offering multiple possible interpretations. Dipti Kadrekar, Nayana Das, and Neerja Kujur present animal-themed artworks, featuring bulls, dogs, stags, and symbolic bird paintings by Mukta Kulkarni.

Exhibition: India Art Festival
Venue: Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai
Date: till 11 Feb 2024
Time: 11.00 to 8.00pm daily