RETURN TO RHYTHM

The 14th edition of the India Art Fair, with its extended sprawl of galleries, witnessed a consolidation of energies, feels Aranya.

- Aranya

A gigantic monkey with one finger pointing ominously towards the heavens stares back at you as soon as you enter the main enclosure in the 14th edition of the India Art Fair. This bronze sculpture by N. S. Harsha at the Chemould Prescott Road booth commanded a striking presence amidst the gaggle of visitors and collectors breathlessly taking ‘Art Fair selfies’ against the eclectic spread of artworks from across South Asia as backdrop.

The quiet confidence of the unnaturally large figure sitting leisurely, with one knee up on a plinth, served as an allegorical foil to the entire experience. It made me think of the fragile solipsistic narrative that grows between the viewer and the work of art. This moment of encounter is an embodiment of American theorist Sianne Ngai’s articulation of the ‘gimmick’ as form. Harsha’s prophetic monkey is ‘the artwork that interprets itself ”, collapsing meaning in a continuous cycle that shoots the circuit of aesthetic judgement and capital in today’s world.

The last edition of the IAF relocated the cultural importance of art in the country, drawing out collectors, artists, gallerists and rasiks after the ‘long, dark night’ of the pandemic. Beset by logistical difficulties, and the mechanics of managing large crowds and multiple delays, the management pulled out all stops to produce a memorable event. Speaking about IAF 2023, Director Jaya Asokan gestured to the rapidly evolving scope of the event, “This edition has been our most ambitious to date, with a fourth exhibition hall to accommodate an increase of gallery applicants and visitors.”