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We round up the key exhibitions, talks and workshops from the upcoming Delhi Art Week

What to expect at the Delhi Art Week this year

In its second edition, the hybrid format of the Delhi Art Week has a lot on offer–from multimedia showcases to art talks and museum exhibits

Imagine your city divided into zones–not the kind that the municipality does. These are art zones dotting New Delhi from 24th to 31st August, comprising exhibitions and installations. All you have to do is hop on and off the art buses as you take it all in.

Art weeks, though a fairly recent phenomenon, have gained the kind of popularity they have due to the diversity they offer with something for everyone. While envisioned as a means to fill in the gaps left from a number of art events getting cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have now become festive weeks comprising all things art, and the Delhi Art Week (DAW) aims to continue doing that with its second edition.

Harbour (water-colour on paper)  2022 at Threshold Gallery

Harbour (water-colour on paper) 2022 at Threshold Gallery

Sakti Burman's The Flutist (oil on canvas) 2018 at Art Alive gallery  Jean-Louis Losi

Sakti Burman's The Flutist (oil on canvas) 2018 at Art Alive gallery

Jean-Louis Losi

Spread across four zones, 34 galleries, two museums and over four institutions, DAW has been curated by Tariq Allana, associate director, Art Heritage; Sunaina Anand, director, Art Alive Gallery and Reena Lath, director, Akar Prakar. In its second edition, DAW has returned in a hybrid format with its virtual presence on the international platform, Artsy. While Zone 1 covers India House, Mandi Gate and Connaught Place, Zone 2 comprises Defence Colony, Lodhi Road, Golf Links and Lajpat Nagar. Zone 3 is spread across New Friends Colony, Greater Kailash-II, East of Kailash, Panchsheel Park, Saket, Hauz Khas Safdarjung Enclave and Sarvodaya Enclave; and Zone 4 includes Anand Niketan, Lado Sarai, Vasant Kunj, Chhattarpur and Mehrauli. “This second edition builds on the momentum generated from the participating galleries and institutions and the overwhelming public response from our event last year. This edition of DAW takes into account the accepted reality of a pandemic world and the monumental changes and shifts that have taken place in the global arts business–that physical events must be complemented by a presence online,” share Allana, Anand and Lath on organising this edition.

THE DELHI ART WEEK HAS BEEN CURATED BY TARIQ ALLANA, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, ART HERITAGE; SUNAINA ANAND, DIRECTOR, ART ALIVE GALLERY AND REENA LATH, DIRECTOR, AKAR PRAKAR. IN ITS SECOND EDITION, THE DELHI ART WEEK HAS RETURNED IN A HYBRID FORMAT WITH ITS VIRTUAL PRESENCE ON THE INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM, ARTSY. PHYSICALLY, IT IS SPREAD ACROSS FOUR ZONES, 34 GALLERIES, TWO MUSEUMS AND OVER FOUR INSTITUTIONS.

Curated with a mix of modern and contemporary art shows, each zone has its own exhibit, modelled on their individual programming that also melds with that of DAW. Key highlights of the week include Kiran Nadar Museum of Art’s (KNMA) opening show Between Vows & Words by Anupam Sud and a discussion on public art during the end of Delhi Art Week, moderated by Yasmin Kidwai of Culture Plus at Bikaner House, with Municipal Corporation of Delhi, KNMA and DAW representatives as speakers.

“KNMA is pleased to support DAW, an initiative which brings together the art community on an inclusive platform to spread awareness of art and artistic practices not only locally through exhibitions but globally through their collaborations with online partners,” says Roobina Karode, director and chief curator, KNMA. Additionally, Somnath Hore: Birth of a White Rose will also be open to viewing at KNMA. Workshops for children at three municipal schools in New Delhi by artists have also been included in the roster.

Meanwhile, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is presenting Kshetragya: The Illuminated and Hastantaran: In Transmission for DAW. “[The] synergy between public art institutions and private galleries as well as cultural organisations should be tapped to ensure that the transformative nature of art reaches out to a global audience and the local populace,” says Advaitya Gadnayak, director-general at NGMA.

Key highlights of the week include Kiran Nadar Museum of Art’s opening show Between Vows & Words by Anupam Sud and a discussion on public art during the end of Delhi Art Week

Key highlights of the week include Kiran Nadar Museum of Art’s opening show Between Vows & Words by Anupam Sud and a discussion on public art during the end of Delhi Art Week

Additionally, DAW will witness private foundations and galleries such as Art Heritage gallery’s In the Threshold of Times with the works of young and emerging artists; Threshold Art Gallery’s Soliloquy by Indrapramit Roy; Galleryske’s Is the Water Chavdar? by Rajyashri Goody; The Partition of India, 1947 show at NGMA, with The Partition Museum; and a conversation with the residents of the Serendipity Arts Foundation.

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